Liverpool – Everton

Welcome to live coverage of the second Merseyside derby in six days. Can we expect a similar game to Monday's 1-1 draw? Well, err, probably.

Liverpool side: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Dossena, Kuyt, Alonso, Mascherano, Babel, Gerrard and Torres. Subs from: Cavalieri, Hyypia, Riera, Aurelio, Benayoun, Leiva Lucas and Ngog.

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Anichebe, Castillo, Neville, Osman, Pienaar and Cahill. Subs from: Nash, Yobo, Van der Meyde, Jacobsen, Rodwell, Jutkiewicz and Gosling.

Here come the teams to a wall of noise. The Kop hold scarves aloft and belt out 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. The 8,000 or so Everton fans attempt to drown it out with a crescendo of booing. As per really eh?

We're off...

First effort comes from Xabi Alonso but his half volley flashes wide of the net.

More pressing from Liverpool as Torres whips in a ball to the near post where Tony Hibbert does well to put Ryan Babel off. Goal kick.

Kuyt fires in a cross that clears Howard's bar. Segundo Castillo is making his debut in Everton's midfield today, marking Steven Gerrard. Good luck pal.

Pienaar goes down in the box but Steve Bennett waves away his claims, quite rightly. A pathetic dive.

I'm reliably informed that Everton haven't been given a penalty at Anfield for 71 years. Now that is a decent stat. I'm pretty sure Bent, err I mean Bennett, won't be bucking the trend.

Gerrard profits from a Torres flick on but is blocked off by Jagielka. Then come the "Gerrard's going down," lines from the Toffees section.

Cahill is booked for handling the ball then booting it towards goal after the whistle had gone. Harsh.

Torres wins a corner after a cracking ball to feet from Alonso.

Hold the phone! What a piece of trickery from Jamie Carragher! A little Cryuff turn foxing two Everton defenders before he slices his shot into the side netting. My word, the world has officially gone mad.

Gerrard spreads it wide to Babel but his cross is blocked.

Its all gone a bit cagey after a brisk opening, oh hang on ....

Oh dear. Babel gets the ball inside the area, cuts outside Hibbert and lashes a shot so wide it goes out for a throw in.

You could hear a pin drop at Anfield at the minute. Why so silent?

Bennett again makes himself the centre of attention, denying Pienaar a free-kick then warning him about diving. He's an awful referee.

A wayward Kuyt pass hands possession back to Everton amid groans from the crowd. This hasn't got the feel of a derby at all. Liverpool corner now..

Phil Neville bumps into Alonso on the wing and gives away a free kick. Dangerous position.

Skrtel picks up the cleared free-kick and lifts a ball into the back post but its too high for Gerrard.

Man alive this game needs goal, or an injection of passion from somewhere..

Castillo shows his first sign of nerves, knocking the ball out of play under no pressure whatsoever.

Bennett gives a free-kick to Everton and gets a loud cheer from the travelling fans.

Castillo gets a lecture after a foul on Torres.

Anichebe gets down the flank and wins a corner off Skrtel.

GOAL! Lescott!

Cahill gets a free header and Lescott flicks it above Reina to give Everton the lead. Exactly what the game needed.

Well, thank the Lord for that. An incredibly listless game gets a livener.

Cahill wins another corner for Everton, which means danger...

Bennett spares Liverpool by awarding a free-kick for supposed pushing.

Everton's fans "ole's" are cut short when Castillo hits the ball into touch again. A tad premature I feel.

Gerrard intercepts a Baines pass and tries to find Torres near post but Jagielka is across to clear.

Gerrard's corner is again cleared by Castillo at the near post. Poor delivery from the Liverpool captain so far, unusually for him.

Finally Pienaar gets a free-kick, and Alonso gets booked for the foul.

Torres gets into the box and picks up Babel's ball but Jageilka is there to ensure he doesn't get a shot off.

Liverpool get a shot on target, but only because Dossena's woeful effort clipped Torres on the way and bounced slowly into the arms of Howard.

Everton's fans launch into a version of "Rafa's cracking up," which is mildly amusing I think you'll agree.

Everton are now getting the rub of the green from Bennett.

Osman gets into the box and fires a shot at Skrtel, but only a mild shout for handball emanates.

Torres miscues a volley right into the Everton section to loud acclaim.

Excellent work from Jagielka - he makes sure Babel doesn't get on the end of Dossena's pass.

Jagielka clears the ball as Gerrard slid it into the box, taking it off the toes of his keeper. He seemed to get a whack from Kuyt for his bother too.

Great climb from Jagielka to nod away a decent Gerrard corner. He's had an immense half.

Two minutes added.

More solid work at the back from Everton as the pressure built. Hibbert and Pienaar combining to clear.

Half time, and a pretty dire 45 minutes in truth. Liverpool awful, Everton solid in defence and pinching another goal via a set play.

We're off again...

A note to add - Jamie Carragher was booked at half time for dissent as he went down the tunnel. Steve Bennett didn't like his high-pitched squeaking about Everton's time wasting apparently.

Oh dear, Anichebe has gone down. Not another Everton striker injury!?

Dan Gosling looks like he's coming on for Anichebe.

Howard is out to claim Gerrard's free kick as Everton think about their reshuffle.

GOAL! Gerrard!

Out of nothing, Liverpool are level. Torres with a cute back flick, Gerrard's left foot shot goes right under Tim Howard. An awful rick from the Blues 'keeper.

At the other end Cahill gets into the area before Reina comes out. The 'keeper then shepherds him out towards the area before putting in a tackle Bobby Moore would have been proud of.

Well, I have to say, that was the only fluid move Liverpool have put together, and even then it was only due to a goalkeeper howler that they scored.

Liverpool are transformed; Torres chests down to Gerrard and Howard saves his effort smartly.

You have to feel sorry for Lescott and jagielka, who have been playing superbly. All their hard work has been undermined by their stopper, and now they are right under the coash.

Kuyt wins a corner, as the atmosphere is reborn.

Alonso's header curls two yards wide of the goal.

Now it is Everton who look shaky. Amazing what a goal can do.

Alonso's raking ball for Torres has just too much on it.

Very little going off at the moment I'm afraid. The atmosphere has disappeared too.

Gerrard floats a ball in between Jagielka an Howard hoping Torres can get there, but the keeper is out smartly.

Everton have no outlet ball up the field at the moment, so as soon as they clear the ball, it comes back at them.

Osman does well to nick the ball off the toes of Babel before he can shoot.

Mascherano throws himself to the floor after zero contact from Cahill, who has already been booked. As the Argentine is on the floor he waves an imaginary card in an attempt to get Cahill sent off. Cheeky *******.

Disgusting episode from Mascherano.

Gosling is on for Anichebe.

The siege continues ... but no sign of Liverpool creating a clear cut chance.

Gosling's first involvement is disappointing as he gives the ball to Dossena, then Gerrard drives into the box but can't pull the ball back outside of the reach of Howard.

Riera replaces Babel for Liverpool and Castillo is replaced by 17-year-old Jack Rodwell.

Carragher and Skrtel manage to get DOssena out of jail as Osman looked to burst through. Then Pienaar is booked for a trip on Skrtel.

Just over ten minutes for either side to prevent a replay...

Handball given against Baines, even though he was two yards away from Kuyt when he hit it. Gerrard over the free kick.

Cahill is up to clear the cross, then nods away again on Gerrard's next delivery.

A great chance to break for Everton is wasted - they had four on four, then Liverpool break with three on three, the ball finding its way to Kuyt who can only manage a tame effort right at Howard.

Gerrard gets round the back and crosses for Torres but his tap-in hits Jagielka and Everton breathe again...

Lescott has had an awesome game, he piles in strongly on Gerrard then picks himself up to clear Dossena's cross.

Rodwell has had a mare since he came on - giving the ball away every time he's got it.

Torres looks absolutely knackered. He can't keep his feet in possession at the minute. Gosling does well there to draw the foul from Riera and give Everton some momentary respite.

Dossena slams one in from 35 yards but Howard is equal to it. For once.

Riera's the one diving now as Hibbert gets his foot in. Corner for Liverpool.

Jagielka whacks clear as Gerrard curls in the cross. What a game he's had.

Kuyt wins the ball of Baines but as the ball is swept across, Riera's ball in is poor and finds no-one.

Time running out for Liverpool to avoid an unwanted replay. They wouldn't even have that if Tim Howard had put in a decent shift.

Three minutes to be added.

Gerrard gets a free header 12 yards out but it hits his shoulder and goes out for a goal kick.

Gerrard takes a nasty tumble. He looks ok though.

Well, that is that. In truth a poor game, Everton offering almost nothing going forward but playing superbly at the back, Liverpool with big problems in my opinion. They will have to replay at Goodison ..