Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was the villain in
the eyes of Everton fans after he was involved in the
sending-off of Jack Rodwell before scoring the second
goal in a controversial 2-0 derby victory.
The Uruguay international was berated as a cheat by
the majority of Goodison Park - and appeared to have
a coin thrown at him - after making the most of Rodwell's
sliding tackle midway through the first half.
He also won a penalty - which Dirk Kuyt missed - to
add to his growing reputation as Mr Unpopular with the
Blue half of Merseyside.
Suarez, and the performance of referee Martin Atkinson,
somewhat overshadowed Andy Carroll's first Premier League
goal of the season.
His strike was the breakthrough and set his side on
the way to victory which Everton had worked so hard
for so long to deny their visitors.
The last time Kenny Dalglish left Goodison Park as
Liverpool manager more than 20 years ago after a 4-4
FA Cup draw the major story developed two days later
when he surprisingly quit citing health problems, brought
on partly by the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster.
However, on his first match back as Reds boss, the
headlines were being written as early as the 23rd minute.
Rodwell slid in to challenge Suarez and although seemingly
winning the ball with a tackle which did not appear
to be dangerous Atkinson immediately brandished a red
card.
It was the 20th dismissal in 39 Barclays Premier League
meetings, 13 of which have been Everton players with
eight of those coming in the last 10 games at Goodison.
Prior to that Everton had produced the best chances
with Tim Cahill - passed fit after struggling with a
shin injury all week - forcing Jose Reina into a fingertip
save after rising highest at the far post and Sylvain
Distin blazing a shot just over.
But momentum of play changed in an instant after the
dismissal as Cahill, who had been posing a threat to
the Liverpool defence in an advanced role behind Louis
Saha on his first start of the season, was dropped back
into a left-sided midfield role.
Everton's high-tempo pressing play was abandoned for
a deeper-lying, more measured approach and that played
into the visitors' hands as they were able to control
possession of the ball.
However, they struggled to make a breakthrough until
Phil Jagielka brought down Suarez on the corner of the
penalty area just before half-time and Atkinson pointed
to the spot.
Kuyt, scorer of five derby goals, stepped up but Howard
saved brilliantly low to his left - the first miss from
the spot in a Merseyside derby since Robbie Fowler in
April 2001.
Howard joined fellow Evertonian George Kitchen and
Liverpool duo Sam Hardy and Bruce Grobbelaar as goalkeepers
who have saved penalties in cross-city meetings.
And while Charlie Adam did beat Howard in added time
at the end of the half his 25-yard shot cannoned down
off the crossbar.
Everton continued to make light of their reduced number
after the break with Saha shooting just wide after being
teed up by Cahill just inside the area.
But Liverpool were starting to create more openings
and Carroll's header looked to be creeping inside the
post from Stewart Downing's corner before Saha hacked
away.
Another Carroll effort had Howard scrambling to his
left to turn around the post while Kuyt deflected Adam's
quickly-taken free-kick wide.
Saha rifled a 25-yard shot just wide of Reina's right-hand
post before, in the 67th minute, Dalglish sent on Steven
Gerrard, making only his third substitute appearance
after six months out after a groin operation, and Craig
Bellamy to win him the game.
But it was not the talismanic Reds captain who made
the difference but his fellow substitute.
Just four minutes after coming on the Wales international's
run down the left released Jose Enrique and Kuyt cleverly
ducked under the Spaniard's cross to allow Carroll to
power home from eight yards.
The match was wrapped up in the 82nd minute when Suarez
grabbed the second.
Collecting Kuyt's knockdown he was lucky to have Distin's
clearance bounce into his chest but he made the most
of it to place a left-footed shot past Howard from six
yards.
The striker's celebrations in front of the Gwladys
Street end were interrupted by a number of bottles being
thrown onto the pitch.
Kuyt then hit a post before Suarez showed Atkinson
a coin which he alleged had been thrown from the stands.
This match has gained a reputation for being the 'friendly
derby' over recent years. It was definitely not on this
occasion.
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