Liverpool against Everton

Shelvey almost finds Torres with a well weighted throughball, but Torres has just strayed offside.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Liverpool sub: Shelvey on, Meireles off</b>

Everton still asking questions of Liverpool, but seem to have one eye on the point now as their attacks lack the cutting edge of earlier in the half.

Bilyaletdinov, a name I've not been looking forward to typing, is on as Everton introduce some fresh blood to their attack.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Everton sub: Bilyaletdinov on, Anichebe off</b>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Everton sub: Rodwell on, Osman off</b>

Torres is released on the right and attempts an ambitious chip over Howard, which clears him but also clears the ball. That old Torres swagger is back.

Kuyt tries to bulldoze his way through a cluster of blue bodies on the edge of the box when all he needed to do was put a ball out wide to Maxi or Torres.

Vaughan's first contribution to the game is a late tackle on Kyrgiakos.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Everton sub: Vaughan on, Beckford off</b>

But Everton get it clear with Torres was lurking in the danger area.

Kuyt wins a corner for Liverpool as the pendulum seems to swinging back their way...

Meireles tries to slide the ball in for Torres but Distin makes a crucial interception.

A big, big goal for Liverpool in front of the Kop and now Liverpool will feel they can win this.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> <b>Kuyt sends Howard the wrong way. It's 2-2. </b>

Maxi is dragged down by Howard in the box and Kuyt has the chance to bring Liverpool level...

<b>PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!</b>

But nothing comes of the free kick and Liverpool counter-attack quickly, winning a free kick on the right wing.

Anichebe is bundled over 35 yards from goal and now Arteta is standing over the ball.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> <b>Torres</b> picks up a yellow card for a foul on Phil Neville.

Anichebe shoots from 20 yards but slips at he lets fly and the ball trickles through to Reina.

The ball bounces about the Everton box like a pinball before Maxi flicks a header towards goal, but that didn't have enough power to trouble Everton's American 'keeper.

Kuyt wins a corner for Liverpool at the other end.

Good build up by Everton as Fellaini fires the ball low across the face of goal from the left, but Liverpool get it clear.

<i>Stat:</i> Everton have only won only one of the last 35 league games at Anfield in which they've conceded

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Incidentally, <b>Pepe Reina</b> picked up a yellow card for something he said to the referee after Everton's second goal.

Good play by Torres, who lays the ball off to Meireles on the left who shoots first time but that doesn't trouble Tim Howard.

Meireles was late to see the danger there, too. It took Everton barely 7 minutes to turn this game on its head. How to the mood has changed at Anfield.

Unbelievable stuff at Anfield, but this goal is controversial. Kelly went down with a head injury but play went on as Osman did brilliantly to create some space in the box before finding Beckford, who let the ball roll across his body before slotting home well.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> <b>Beckford makes it 2-1 Everton!</b>

Torres is fouled by Fellaini as Liverpool look to impose themselves on this game again.

Kenny Dalglish is left scratching his head on the touchline. Whatever he just said at half time has gone right out of the window.

What a start to the second half for Everton, who score within a minute of the restart! A ball is whipped in from the left and Distin evades Skrtel to nod home at the far post. 1-1

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> <b>Distin has equalised for Everton!</b>

<b>Illness has forced Daniel Agger off at half time and we are underway again.</b>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Liverpool sub: Kyrgiakos on, Agger off</b>

The players are emerging from the tunnel for the second half. Can Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool hang on for what would be a crucial, morale boosting win? They need to stop Fernando Torres if they want to stand a chance...

Everton have had a few chances of their own and this match is far from over, but they must get to grips with Torres if they want to stand a chance. The World Cup winner has shown that he may be back to something like his best.

A breathless half of football, especially from Liverpool, who have been slick in attack and strong in defence.

<b>And that's half time at Anfield.</b>

Great play by Torres yet again as he toys with Baines before trying to chip Howard from an impossible angle. The ball goes just wide but what an effort.

Fellaini plays a suicidal pass across the face of his own box straight to Maxi, who hits a powerful low shot straight at Howard.

At the other end, Liverpool attack through the goalscorer, Meireles, who blasts another shot at Howard from just outside the box this time, but Howard saves.

Everton counter from the corner as Arteta finds Beckford on the left with a wonderful pass. Beckford floats a cross in for Fellaini, but Liverpool clear.

Heitinga barges Torres off the ball as Liverpool win a corner.

Liverpool counter attack from the corner through Torres, who gallops down the right before trying to find Kuyt with a low cross but Torres overhits it and the chance goes begging.

Having said that, Osman wins a corner for Everton...

Everton have dominated possession since the goal but are doing little with it at the moment.

Everton have managed to steady themselves after a devastating couple of minutes for them. They could easily be 2-0 down.

Everton with their backs against the wall here. The Kop are in full voice.

Liverpool almost make it 2-0! Torres powers a shot from the right that Howard saves well, the ball loops up to Meireles, who is forward again, but the Portuguese can't get enough on his header and Everton desperately hack the ball away.

Good build up by Liverpool as Glen Johnson's right-footed cross from the left finds Kuyt at the far post. Kuyt's header is saved low by Howard, who gets up well to save Kuyt's second effort. But the ball comes out to Meireles who makes no mistake from 15 yards out. Liverpool lead 1-0.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> <b>Meireles scores for Liverpool!</b>

Pressure not over for Liverpool as Glen Johnson concedes another corner.

Neville knocks the ball into the box to the target man, Fellaini, who knocks it down for Beckford who is inches away from making contact. Any touch by Beckford would have been enough to steer it past Reina, but he couldn't stretch far enough.

Meireles has clattered into Arteta and is lucky not to see yellow to be honest. Just a free-kick.

But Everton clear their lines and can breathe again.

End to end stuff here.

But Spearing hacks it clear and finds Tiorres on the right. Torres holds it up and switches the ball to Kuyt on the left wing. Kuyt skips inside and hits a wayward shot from 25 yards which, luckily for him, deflects out for a corner.

The free kick is floated in to Fellaini, but Liverpool flick it clear for an Everton corner. Pressure on Liverpool here.

Meireles puts Lucas under pressure with another bad ball, and Lucas is forced into conceding a free kick 30 yards out.

Brilliant play by Torres who hits the post! Torres is released down the inside right channel, he cuts inside onto his left foot and, from just inside the area, shoots to the far post with his left foot only to see the ball cannon back off the far post. Kuyt blazed the rebound over. Great play by Torres though.

It wasn't given, because it wasn't a foul!

Torres is chopped down by Phil Neville on the halfway line and David Moyes is on the touchline remonstrating with Phil Dowd that an earlier foul against Anichebe wasn't given.

Ball is played to Osman on the edge of the box, who tries to get over the ball but can't keep his volley down.

Baines finds Osman down the left wing, who crosses well for Beckford, but Kelly clears for a blue corner. Very nice move by Everton, that.

The corner is cleared but is pumped back into the box to Torres on the edge of the box, who swivels and shoots high and wide with his left foot.

Excellent play by the right back Kelly, who motored past Baines leaving him for dead. Liverpool corner.

Quite an even start so far, with Liverpool seeing just slightly more of the ball. Neither side have created any clear cut opportunities.

Maxi finds Torres with a smart throughball, but the Spaniard is marginally offside.

Baines gives the ball away to Lucas who finds Meireles, but the pass by the Portuguese was way too far ahead of Kuyt.

Spearing gives the ball away far too easily in central midfield and the benficiary is Beckford, who tries an ultra ambitious chip from all of 35 yards. Beckford had time to do better there.

Coleman bursts through Liverpool's midfield too easily and fires a low shot just wide of the right post from 25 yards.

Torres immediately gets a sniff of goal and fires a low shot at Tim Howard from a tight angle. Howard gathers.

We are off at Anfield.

As the players emerge from the tunnel, 'You'll Never Walk Alone' echoes from the terraces. Fantastic atmosphere, as you'd expect.

Steven Pienaar is not available after agreeing a move away from the club.

Everton are again without defender Phil Jagielka, who has missed the last two games with a thigh injury.

Joe Cole's ankle injury has recovered and Fabio Aurelio returns to the bench after sitting out the defeat to Blackpool.

So Liverpool go into their first home game since Kenny Dalglish's return without captain Steven Gerrard, who is serving the second of a three-game ban.

And Phil Dowd is today's referee.

<b>Everton:</b> Howard, Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Arteta, Osman, Beckford, Anichebe. Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov, Vaughan, Gueye, Rodwell, Baxter

<b>Liverpool:</b> Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Meireles, Spearing, Lucas, Kuyt, Torres, Maxi. Subs: Gulacsi, Aurelio, Cole, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Shelvey.

The teams are in...

Hello everyone, Michael Da Silva here. Welcome to the first of a great double header of Premier League football on this Sunday afternoon. And where better to start than at Anfield for the Merseyside derby?

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com//design05/images/2011/0113/kennydalglishworried20110112_275x155.jpg"><br> Kenny Dalglish has called for calm ahead of the Merseyside derby.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish admits his Anfield return will be emotional but he has <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/865702/emotional-kenny-dalglish-tells-liverpool-to-cool-it-in-derby?cc=5739" target="_blank">told his players to make sure they keep their tempers in check</a> in the 215th Merseyside derby.

Join us at 1405 GMT for live text commentary of Kenny Dalglish's first Merseyside derby as Liverpool manager for 20 years. But can the Reds end their recent poor run by beating Everton at Anfield?

<b>PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!</b>

But nothing comes of the free kick and Liverpool counter-attack quickly, winning a free kick on the right wing.

Anichebe is bundled over 35 yards from goal and now Arteta is standing over the ball.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> <b>Torres</b> picks up a yellow card for a foul on Phil Neville.

Anichebe shoots from 20 yards but slips at he lets fly and the ball trickles through to Reina.

The ball bounces about the Everton box like a pinball before Maxi flicks a header towards goal, but that didn't have enough power to trouble Everton's American 'keeper.

Kuyt wins a corner for Liverpool at the other end.

Good build up by Everton as Fellaini fires the ball low across the face of goal from the left, but Liverpool get it clear.

<i>Stat:</i> Everton have only won only one of the last 35 league games at Anfield in which they've conceded

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Incidentally, <b>Pepe Reina</b> picked up a yellow card for something he said to the referee after Everton's second goal.

Good play by Torres, who lays the ball off to Meireles on the left who shoots first time but that doesn't trouble Tim Howard.

Meireles was late to see the danger there, too. It took Everton barely 7 minutes to turn this game on its head. How to the mood has changed at Anfield.

Unbelievable stuff at Anfield, but this goal is controversial. Kelly went down with a head injury but play went on as Osman did brilliantly to create some space in the box before finding Beckford, who let the ball roll across his body before slotting home well.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> <b>Beckford makes it 2-1 Everton!</b>

Torres is fouled by Fellaini as Liverpool look to impose themselves on this game again.

Kenny Dalglish is left scratching his head on the touchline. Whatever he just said at half time has gone right out of the window.

What a start to the second half for Everton, who score within a minute of the restart! A ball is whipped in from the left and Distin evades Skrtel to nod home at the far post. 1-1

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> <b>Distin has equalised for Everton!</b>

<b>Illness has forced Daniel Agger off at half time and we are underway again.</b>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Liverpool sub: Kyrgiakos on, Agger off</b>

The players are emerging from the tunnel for the second half. Can Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool hang on for what would be a crucial, morale boosting win? They need to stop Fernando Torres if they want to stand a chance...

Everton have had a few chances of their own and this match is far from over, but they must get to grips with Torres if they want to stand a chance. The World Cup winner has shown that he may be back to something like his best.

A breathless half of football, especially from Liverpool, who have been slick in attack and strong in defence.

<b>And that's half time at Anfield.</b>

Great play by Torres yet again as he toys with Baines before trying to chip Howard from an impossible angle. The ball goes just wide but what an effort.

Fellaini plays a suicidal pass across the face of his own box straight to Maxi, who hits a powerful low shot straight at Howard.

At the other end, Liverpool attack through the goalscorer, Meireles, who blasts another shot at Howard from just outside the box this time, but Howard saves.

Everton counter from the corner as Arteta finds Beckford on the left with a wonderful pass. Beckford floats a cross in for Fellaini, but Liverpool clear.

Heitinga barges Torres off the ball as Liverpool win a corner.

Liverpool counter attack from the corner through Torres, who gallops down the right before trying to find Kuyt with a low cross but Torres overhits it and the chance goes begging.

Having said that, Osman wins a corner for Everton...

Everton have dominated possession since the goal but are doing little with it at the moment.

Everton have managed to steady themselves after a devastating couple of minutes for them. They could easily be 2-0 down.

Everton with their backs against the wall here. The Kop are in full voice.

Liverpool almost make it 2-0! Torres powers a shot from the right that Howard saves well, the ball loops up to Meireles, who is forward again, but the Portuguese can't get enough on his header and Everton desperately hack the ball away.

Good build up by Liverpool as Glen Johnson's right-footed cross from the left finds Kuyt at the far post. Kuyt's header is saved low by Howard, who gets up well to save Kuyt's second effort. But the ball comes out to Meireles who makes no mistake from 15 yards out. Liverpool lead 1-0.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> <b>Meireles scores for Liverpool!</b>

Pressure not over for Liverpool as Glen Johnson concedes another corner.

Neville knocks the ball into the box to the target man, Fellaini, who knocks it down for Beckford who is inches away from making contact. Any touch by Beckford would have been enough to steer it past Reina, but he couldn't stretch far enough.

Meireles has clattered into Arteta and is lucky not to see yellow to be honest. Just a free-kick.

But Everton clear their lines and can breathe again.

End to end stuff here.

But Spearing hacks it clear and finds Tiorres on the right. Torres holds it up and switches the ball to Kuyt on the left wing. Kuyt skips inside and hits a wayward shot from 25 yards which, luckily for him, deflects out for a corner.

The free kick is floated in to Fellaini, but Liverpool flick it clear for an Everton corner. Pressure on Liverpool here.

Meireles puts Lucas under pressure with another bad ball, and Lucas is forced into conceding a free kick 30 yards out.

Brilliant play by Torres who hits the post! Torres is released down the inside right channel, he cuts inside onto his left foot and, from just inside the area, shoots to the far post with his left foot only to see the ball cannon back off the far post. Kuyt blazed the rebound over. Great play by Torres though.

It wasn't given, because it wasn't a foul!

Torres is chopped down by Phil Neville on the halfway line and David Moyes is on the touchline remonstrating with Phil Dowd that an earlier foul against Anichebe wasn't given.

Ball is played to Osman on the edge of the box, who tries to get over the ball but can't keep his volley down.

Baines finds Osman down the left wing, who crosses well for Beckford, but Kelly clears for a blue corner. Very nice move by Everton, that.

The corner is cleared but is pumped back into the box to Torres on the edge of the box, who swivels and shoots high and wide with his left foot.

Excellent play by the right back Kelly, who motored past Baines leaving him for dead. Liverpool corner.

Quite an even start so far, with Liverpool seeing just slightly more of the ball. Neither side have created any clear cut opportunities.

Maxi finds Torres with a smart throughball, but the Spaniard is marginally offside.

Baines gives the ball away to Lucas who finds Meireles, but the pass by the Portuguese was way too far ahead of Kuyt.

Spearing gives the ball away far too easily in central midfield and the benficiary is Beckford, who tries an ultra ambitious chip from all of 35 yards. Beckford had time to do better there.

Coleman bursts through Liverpool's midfield too easily and fires a low shot just wide of the right post from 25 yards.

Torres immediately gets a sniff of goal and fires a low shot at Tim Howard from a tight angle. Howard gathers.

We are off at Anfield.

As the players emerge from the tunnel, 'You'll Never Walk Alone' echoes from the terraces. Fantastic atmosphere, as you'd expect.

Steven Pienaar is not available after agreeing a move away from the club.

Everton are again without defender Phil Jagielka, who has missed the last two games with a thigh injury.

Joe Cole's ankle injury has recovered and Fabio Aurelio returns to the bench after sitting out the defeat to Blackpool.

So Liverpool go into their first home game since Kenny Dalglish's return without captain Steven Gerrard, who is serving the second of a three-game ban.

And Phil Dowd is today's referee.

<b>Everton:</b> Howard, Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Arteta, Osman, Beckford, Anichebe. Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov, Vaughan, Gueye, Rodwell, Baxter

<b>Liverpool:</b> Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Meireles, Spearing, Lucas, Kuyt, Torres, Maxi. Subs: Gulacsi, Aurelio, Cole, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Shelvey.

The teams are in...

Hello everyone, Michael Da Silva here. Welcome to the first of a great double header of Premier League football on this Sunday afternoon. And where better to start than at Anfield for the Merseyside derby?

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com//design05/images/2011/0113/kennydalglishworried20110112_275x155.jpg"><br> Kenny Dalglish has called for calm ahead of the Merseyside derby.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish admits his Anfield return will be emotional but he has <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/865702/emotional-kenny-dalglish-tells-liverpool-to-cool-it-in-derby?cc=5739" target="_blank">told his players to make sure they keep their tempers in check</a> in the 215th Merseyside derby.

Join us at 1405 GMT for live text commentary of Kenny Dalglish's first Merseyside derby as Liverpool manager for 20 years. But can the Reds end their recent poor run by beating Everton at Anfield?