Before anything else, check out the energy around the game. This is a video with the moments before kick-off:
This is what football is all about. The rest of the match, however, was less electrifying.
As expected, both teams came into the pitch nervous and angry at each other, and with the main objective of not conceding. Both midfields interlocked and the game was more of a contest than a match, with rough tackles and very conservative football from both sides.
Then, towards the end of the first half, the inevitable happened: Fellaini and Kyrgiakos both went in hard for a ball, the Everton man got hit and had to be taken off and Kyrgiakos was sent off. Strangely, it was down to 10 men that Liverpool played their best in this match.
10 minutes into the second half, a cross by Gerard from the corner flag met Kuyt’s head to make the score 1-0. Until the end, Liverpool closed up well in defense and didn’t give Everton any room to create chances, although Everton failed to give any width to their game and exploit the fact they had an extra man in the park. All in all, a deserved victory for Liverpool for taking their chances, although a draw wouldn’t be a bad result either.
