Premier League - Two for Torres as Liverpool win derby
Liverpool have gone top of the Premier League table after beating Everton 2-0 in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Two goals from striker Fernando Torres - his first for over a month - were enough to down an Everton side still looking for their first home win of the season, and send his side top ahead of the rest of Saturday's games.
Neither Torres nor strike partner Robbie Keane began the match well after their stuttering seasons thus far, with the latter largely anonymous for long periods.
However, they combined to open the scoring on 59 minutes when the Irishman latched onto Xabi Alonso's ball to pull a cross back from the byline that was bound for Torres. Dirk Kuyt's run towards the near post took the defender with him and Torres had more than enough space to fire a low volley under goalkeeper Tim Howard for his first goal since the winner at Sunderland on August 16.
After waiting 42 days for his second goal of the season, Torres only had to wait three minutes for his third. With Everton clearly rattled by the opening goal Joseph Yobo slid in to tackle Kuyt well but saw the ball roll to Torres, and Howard could only palm the Spaniard's solid shot into the roof of the net.
The introduction of Louis Saha just after that goal sparked a half-hearted comeback for Everton, but their hopes were all but extinguished when Tim Cahill received a red card - perhaps harshly - for his scissor-tackle on Alonso.
After a subdued start, Liverpool went to dominate the possession, but it was the home side who had the two best chances to open the scoring.
Midway through the half, Joleon Lescott - back in the side at the expense of Leighton Baines - sent a long ball into the box from deep that neither goalkeeper Pepe Reina nor defender Jamie Carragher dealt with, and it fell to midfielder Marouane Fellaini.
Everton's record signing had the whole of the goal to aim for with Reina out of the picture, but he fired from close range straight at Carragher on the goal-line.
Tim Cahill also had the chance to score, and get his third league goal in as many games. Mikel Arteta's corner pinged off several men in the box and, characteristically, Cahill was in the right place at the right time, but he saw the ball late and could only stab an effort wide of the mark.
Liverpool's best chance in the first half fell to Torres, but his turn and shot from close range was blocked by Joseph Yobo.
Saha did his best to impact upon the match after coming on but, despite making a couple of good opportunited for himself, could not repeat his influential second-half performance in the 2-2 draw against Hull City last weekend.
Referee Mike Riley - who handed out eight yellow cards in last Sunday's match between Chelsea and Manchester United - dished out a further three for each side in addition to Cahill's red, including one for Everton striker Yakubu after he went down in the Liverpool box early in the second half. |
發表於 2008-9-27 10:46 PM
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