EPL: Everton vs. Liverpool

Step right up for one of the first big derbys of the EPL season. Liverpool and Everton's grounds are so close you can walk between them. Today it was Everton's turn to host the festivities.

I actually think the Toffees were the better side for most of this game. Liverpool actually looked quite hesitant for much of the game, and Everton tried their hardest to take advantage. Both sides had great chances in the 9th minute. On one end of the pitch Luis Suarez had a gorgeous header on target, but it went right at Tim Howard. Then right at the other end Tim Cahill had his own header on goal only to see Reina pull it down.

The game took a radical change in the 23rd minute. Rodwell went in on Suarez with a sliding tackle around the midfield stripe. It was one footed, foot down, and he got the ball, but the ref showed him a red card. Honestly, in all the matches I've seen in recent years, that might be the worst red I've seen, and I watch a lot of MLS.

That put Everton down a man for the last 2/3 of the match. It nearly bit them in the 43rd minute when Phil Jagielka, lately of my fantasy team, took Suarez down in the box to concede a PK. Dirk Kuyt stepped up and hit a cheeky spot kick, but it was saved by Tim Howard to preserve the 0-0 score line going into the half.

Everton didn't come out in a shell in the second half, and you have to applaud them for that. Saha had three or four decent looks but could not find the target to save his life.

In the 65th minute, Liverpool brought on Gerrard and Bellamy and it really changed the tempo of the game in favor of the reds. Just 6 minutes later Jose Enrique slipped a ball into Andy Carroll who slotted it past Howard to give Liverpool the 0-1 lead. Everton was tired, and it showed. In the 82nd minute Suarez took advantage of a giveaway by Distin in the area and eased it across the goal line to give Liverpool the 0-2 lead, which was the final score.

I don't think Everton deserved to lose that one. The game would have been totally different had it stayed 11 on 11. The red card really was horrible. Still, Liverpool did what they had to do to collect the three points.