The Merseyside Derby, which includes rivals Liverpool and Everton, never fails to produce a hard-fought contest. This year was no exception with two red and five yellow cards being issued. That takes it up to 19 red cards in the past 13 years of Merseyside contests. The 1-0 Liverpool win ended a 9 game unbeaten streak for Everton and rolled Liverpool to their 7th unbeaten game.
Rough tackles, kicks to the shin, and challenges in the back were commonplace in the first 45 minutes of this contest. In the 34th minute, Liverpool's Sotirios Kyrgiakos was sent off for a two-footed tackle on Everton's Marouane Fellaini. Fellaini had instigated with several hard tackles and even a stomp on the Greek player's shin.
Liverpool didn't let being down a man hurt them and in the 55th minute Dirk Kuyt nodded away his 50th Liverpool goal courtesy of a Steven Gerrard corner. Anfield, Liverpool's home stadium, would see the rest of the game play out with nervousness as Everton poured on the pressure but could not find the equalizer. Yakubu would deliver the best chance in stoppage time, but Pepe Reina tipped his shot over the crossbar to the dismay of the Evertonians. In the 5th minute of stoppage Steven Pienaar of Everton would be sent off for his second yellow and Everton would head to the locker room shaking their heads.
