LAST MATCH STATS : LIVERPOOL 1 - 1 EVERTON

LIVERPOOL 1 - 1 EVERTON Monday 19 January 2009 20:00 , Barclays Premier League

REDS HELD TO DERBY DRAW Liverpool have drawn level on points with Manchester United at the top of the Barclays Premier League after Tim Cahill cancelled out Steven Gerrard's strike to secure a point for the Blues in the 209th Merseyside derby at Anfield. It was a pulsating match from start to finish, but Liverpool will be disappointed not to take more from this clash after enjoying so much possession in the second half. The result means the Reds are second only on goal difference at the league summit. The singing of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' was always going to be particularly rousing for a match as big as this, but it seemed that the recent death of massive Reds fan, Bobby Wilcox, and Gerry Marsden being made a Freeman of the city on the same day as this derby clash made the singing of the Liverpool anthem extra special. This wasn't so much one of those derbies which started off with flying tackles and hard challenges -Howard Webb didn't even blow for the first foul until after seven minutes - it was more of a high tempo affair with plenty of chances in the opening minutes. Only 35 seconds had gone when Blues forward Victor Anichebe chested down and shot goalwards at the Kop end. Pepe Reina got just enough to it to make sure the shot went out for a corner, but it served as proof that David Moyes' side had not come to make up the numbers here. A great flick from Fernando Torres two minutes later sparked off Liverpool's first attack of the match, but Albert Riera put too much on his lofted cross after gaining possession on the left flank and the ball went out for an Everton goal kick. Robbie Keane found space on the right with five minutes gone and had two opportunities to find his striking partner Torres in the six-yard box. But Everton recovered quickly and managed to intercept both of the Irish marksman's low efforts. Torres got himself into another great position four minutes later and probed the Blues' defence, looking for a way through. But the Spanish striker was ushered away by the stoic Everton rearguard. Dirk Kuyt had a half chance to open the scoring on 12 minutes. The Dutchman picked up the ball from a Steven Gerrard free-kick on the far-right corner of the Everton six-yard box and unleashed a snap shot on the half volley, but his effort was well blocked. Everton looked frustrated by Livepool's superior amount of possession and began to give away a string of free-kicks in dangerous areas on the 15-minute mark. Joleon Lescott, Leighton Baines and Tony Hibbert were well drilled in defending from set pieces, but the likes of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Fabio Aurelio were getting closer with each free-kick and the Reds could have found the net on a number of occasions. Rafa Benitez's charges were enjoying much less space five minutes later, however. With Phil Neville stirring things up in the middle of the park and Phil Jagielka putting himself about at the centre of Everton's defence, Everton had made a vast improvement on the opening passages of play and were starting to ruffle Liverpool's feathers. But every time they looked to have gained a grip on the game, Liverpool went down the other end and reminded the Blues once again of their attacking threat. Torres made an incisive run from the right flank to set up Xabi Alonso for a pot shot on 25 minutes. Standing on the edge of the area, Alonso didn't have long to strike the ball, but he teed himself up and struck a fine shot goalwards, which Everton did well to block. Then Torres found himself running through on goal and bearing down on Blues stopper Tim Howard. The Spanish striker did the hard part by staying on his feet and keeping Jagielka at bay, but his cool dink rebounded to safety, leaving most of Anfield wondering how Liverpool had not taken the lead. It was by far the best chance of a fast and furious match so far. Torres might not have started a first team game since November, but he looked sharp as ever from the off - it could only bode well for the remaining 60 minutes. Everton continued to press and tested Reina with a series of lobbed crosses into the Liverpool box. Unorthodox they might have been, but the Reds' keeper managed to flap away the threat as half-time approached at Anfield. This was definitely their best spell of the match so far, but Liverpool's defence, particularly Martin Skrtel, withstood the pressure to make sure the scores stayed at 0-0 going into the break. The opening 45 minutes stayed to a familiar pattern: when one team had a chance, the other side would have just as good an opportunity down the other end. And things where no different here when Anichebe put a rolled cross into the Liverpool penalty area. Skrtel cleared things up at the back before Liverpool started their own attack at the other end. Riera took the ball in an advanced position before firing a fierce shot at the Blues' goal. The Spaniard didn't get a clean connection on it, however, and the ball spun into the Everton fans in the Anfield Road end before the referee blew for half-time. The second half began with a flurry of snow, but the wintery weather did nothing to chill this lively encounter and Everton had yet another half chance from a low cross just one minute after the restart. Anichebe rolled speculative ball in, but Reina was on hand to clear the danger. Then Liverpool had a penalty appeal waved away by the referee. It looked like Torres had been pushed over inside the penalty area, but even though Howard Webb was well placed right behind the incident, he waved play on, deeming there to be nothing wrong with the challenge. Torres had got himself into another great position from a quick foray forward, but the Spaniard could only look on from the floor as he rued another missed opportunity. Liverpool had another great opportunity a few minutes later. Kuyt collected the ball in the Everton six-yard box before taking two touches and laying off to Gerrard. The Reds' captain slid in a low drive which Howard palmed away into the path of Sami Hyypia, but the Fin's close-range effort rebounded out for a goal kick. This period of sustained pressure continued for some time, and it seemed like it would only be a matter of time until the Reds took the lead. They had no corners during the whole of the first period, but now they had enjoyed a string of them in a 15-minute spell. Torres had another chance to get on the scoresheet after 62 minutes, this time from just outside the penalty area. The number nine quickly turned and shot, but his effort went about a yard over. And the pressure finally paid for Liverpool when Steven Gerrard scored one of his trademark goals on 68 minutes. The centrally placed Reds captain picked up around 25 yards out from Albert Riera before taking one touch and unleashing an unstoppable shot straight past Tim Howard and into the net. It seemed that there would be only one outcome when the ball left Gerrard's right foot, and within seconds he was revelling in the joy of scoring another goal against Liverpool's local rivals. What a way to mark his 250th game as Liverpool captain. Liverpool allowed David Moyes' side to attack after that, however. Everton managed to get a few breaks and they made the Reds pay when Yossi Benayoun took down Steven Pienaar on the left flank. Tim Cahill found the net after Arteta drifted in the resulting free-kick, leaving the Reds with less than two minutes to regain their lead. The Australian midfielder scrambled the ball home to ensure the Blues took a point from this closely fought contest. Having enjoyed the best of the posession and led with less than two minutes to go, Liverpool will disappointed not to get anything more than just a point. But on reflection, a draw is probably a fair result. Liverpool might have had more chances, but Everton came with a gameplan and stuck to it. Teams Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Hyypia, Skrtel, Carragher, Riera, Gerrard (captain), Alonso, Kuyt, Torres, Keane. Subs - Benayoun, Babel, Leiva, Dossena, Cavalieri, Arbeloa, Mascherano Everton: Howard, Baines, Lescott, Jagielka, Hibbert, Pienaar, Cahill, Neville (captain), Arteta, Osman, Anichebe. Subs - Van der Meyde, Rodwell, Castillo, Nash, Jutkiewicz, Kissock, Gosling Referee: Howard Webb Conditions: Fine Attendance: Unknown Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Xabi Alonso