All the build up to the weekend’s Merseyside derby centred around Steven Gerrard, who would be lining up against Liverpool’s old enemy for the final time.
Surely, there would be some kind of drama in Gerrard’s 33rd and final cash with Everton?
With the corresponding fixture last season ending in a pulsating 3-3 draw, anything was possible.
In the end, the game was in fact a bit of a damp squib, with both sides playing out a fairly dull 0-0 draw at Goodison Park.
Roberto Martinez insisted afterwards the game had been an ‘interesting tactical battle’, whilst Brendan Rodgers went as far to say his side were ‘outstanding.’
Did the managers see something that we simply didn’t?
Possibly.
As we have struggled to come up with five things we learned from both teams during Saturday evening’s bore draw between Everton and Liverpool.
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Click on Steven Gerrard to reveal 5 things we learned from Everton v Liverpool
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The secret is out – Jordon Ibe looks a special talent
Without a doubt the biggest positive to emerge from the game for Liverpool was the performance of 19-year-old Jordon Ibe. Selected for only his second ever Premier League start, the teenage winger put in a man of the match performance for the Reds, and came the closest of anyone to breaking the deadlock.
Ibe was desperately unlucky to see a stunning 25-yard strike come crashing off the woodwork in the first half, whilst his pace, confidence and trickery on the right wing gave Everton problems all afternoon.
Having kept him under wraps for some time, Liverpool now look ready to unleash another exciting young talent for the remainder of the season.
Liverpool have transformed defensively – with Emre Can particularly impressive
Liverpool were in fact the most in form team of any of the teams in Europe’s top six leagues heading into Saturday’s game – with a huge part of that down to the improvement in defence.
The Reds have no managed four consecutive clean sheets in the league – a first under Brendan Rodgers – and have in fact not conceded a goal from open play in their last eight matches.
A big part of that has been the change to a three at the back, with 21-year-old German Emre Can particularly impressive of late. The summer signing from Bayern Leverkusen was the standout defender yesterday, with Liverpool supporters showing they perhaps have a new hero to worship at Anfield, with his name being sung in the away end during the second half.
Mignolet has turned it around
Whilst the likes of Emre Can, Mamadou Sakho and Martin Skrtel have picked up the plaudits for the Reds recent improvement, Simon Mignolet’s form has also been vastly improved.
The Belgian goalkeeper was not called upon until the 85th minute of yesterday’s derby, but when he was he produced a stunning save to deny Seamus Coleman what would have been an undeserved winner.
With four clean sheets in succession, Mignolet is now in fact joint second with Chelsea’s Thibuat Courtois for clean sheets this season with nine to his name. Only Southampton’s Fraser Forster (10) has more.
McCarthy has been a major loss for Everton
Besides Jordon Ibe, the returning James McCarthy was the best player on the pitch during yesterday’s derby.
McCarthy has been absent for a number of weeks through injury, and it is clear his partnership with Gareth Barry in the middle of the park has been sorely missed by Everton.
McCarthy set about denying access to those spaces Philippe Coutinho and Steven Gerrard have found in recent weeks, and was good as anyone defensively for Roberto Martinez’s side.
If he can stay fit between now and the end of the season, the Toffees have every chance of turning things around.
The drop in class from Lucas to Joe Allen is obvious
Lucas Leiva has been picking up some much belated praise for his recent performances, with Liverpool’s stats with and without the Brazilian midfielder vastly different.
It came as a major blow when he limped off after 20 minutes with what looked like a thigh strain yesterday, whilst his replacement Joe Allen struggled to fill that void.
Allen has been out injured himself for a month, but is not in the same class of defensive midfielder as Lucas.
Liverpool will be praying the injury is not a serious one, as the drop in class from Lucas to Allen is pretty obvious.
