EVERTON 2-1 LIVERPOOL
Everton won the mini-derby at the Auto Quest Stadium in Widnes but Liverpool’s main worry from the evening will not be that this was their first defeat of the season, but what appeared a serious injury to midfielder Alan Navarro.
Navarro was stretchered-off on 66 minutes after a wild two-footed lunge on his ankle by Everton left back Kevin McLeod. Referee D. Drysdale took immediate action showing McLeod a straight red card, and Navarro was on the ground for some five minutes before being taken off on a stretcher.
Liverpool fielded a strong side with Camara being joined by Danny Murphy, Djimi Traore, Rigobert Song and striker Jon Newby, back from a three month loan spell with Sheffield United, while Everton fielded Danny Cadamarteri, Alec Cleland, Scot Gemill, and Norwegian international keeper Thomas Myhre.
Liverpool started brightly. Republic of Ireland Under-21 international winger Richie Partridge set off on a mazy run down the left and found Danny Murphy whose 25-yard drive was well held by Myhre, but against the run of play Everton took a ninth minute lead.
Jamie Milligan sped past Stephen Wright down the left and his deflected cross found Keith Southern. His initial effort was blocked by Grégory Vignal, but the rebound went back to Southern who fired a low right-footed drive beyond Jorgen Nielsen into the corner of the net.
It was almost 2-0 on 13 minutes when Nielsen misjudged a corner and the unmarked Phil Jevons headed over. The striker held his head in his hands in his annoyance at missing a golden opportunity.
For the remainder of the half it became constant Liverpool pressure with Titi Camara a real inspiration. One sublime through ball by the Guinean striker found Murphy clean through but his shot was parried by Myhre.
Camara then set-up Rigobert Song but the Cameroon star’s goalbound effort was frantically blocked by Alec Cleland. Then a weaving run and cross by Jon Newby down the left almost found Camara in the six-yard box but Cleland just got a vital touch to divert the ball the wrong side of the post.
Alan Navarro was doing his best to drive the Reds on from midfield and made a series of fierce but fair challenges that showed Liverpool’s determination not to accept second best.
Partridge went close on 35 minutes but couldn’t keep his header down from Chris Thompson’s cross. Then a magnificent piece of skill by Camara had the crowd in raptures when he dummied Scot Gemmill by chipping the ball cheekily over his head. With the next touch he played Newby clean through but his effort was blocked by the legs of Myhre.
The equaliser duly arrived two minutes before the break and it was no surprise the scorer was Camara. He burst past McLeod down the right before firing a stinging 20-yard left-footed drive beyond the reach of Myhre.
Seconds after the restart the Reds were a whisker away from the lead. A fine move involving Camara, Murphy and Partridge found Thompson who out-jumped Cleland but unfortunately headed the wrong side of the post.
Then Jon Newby had a goal disallowed after Thompson was ruled offside. It was tough luck on Newby who had produced a spectacular finish.
The second half started at a frantic pace with the pace of Danny Cadamarteri a constant threat to Djimi Traore and Rigobert Song. Traore made one magnificent tackle when the Blues striker broke through the Reds defence.
However, Cadamarteri wasn’t to be denied and he made it 2-1 on 54 minutes. Traore for once was caught out and the Blues striker danced round Jorgen Nielsen before slotting home from the left hand side.
Everton almost made it 3-1 on the hour but Nielsen was the hero with a fine save, stretching to his right to deny Gemill.
The game then threatened to explode with the sending-off of McLeod for a wild two-footed lunge on Navarro, and when the young Reds midfielder left the field the side missed his cutting edge. All too often Liverpool’s final ball was their achilles heel as Everton tried to nullify the midfield with Jevons playing in a withdrawn role behind Cadamarteri.
Camara did his best to try and grab an equaliser. First his curled shot was superbly saved by Myhre, then he cut past two defenders but fired wildly over the bar from 20-yards out. It was a classic Liverpool counter-attack with Thompson and Murphy involved and all that was lacking was the finish.
Camara was so unlucky on 78 minutes when he connected with Grégory Vignal’s cross but his first time effort was inches over the bar with Myhre beaten.
It was a case of so near, yet so far for Liverpool in front of goal, but the biggest concern will be the injury to Alan Navarro.
Everton: Myhre, Hibbert, McLeod, Cleland, O’Hanlon, Gemmill, Southern, Osman, Jevons, Cadamarteri, Milligan. Subs: McKay, Kearney, Pilkington, Chadwick, Simonsen (GK).
Liverpool: Nielsen, Song, Wright, Traore (Otsemobor 73), Vignal, Navarro (Olsen 66), Murphy, Partridge, Camara, Newby, Thompson. Subs: Armstrong, Welsh, Torpey, Crookes (GK).
Referee: D Drysdale. Attendance: 5,661.