The Irish Mail on Sunday

NO FAIRYTALE FOR GERRARD

Liverpool skipper forced to settle for a point in his last Merseyside derby

- By Joe Bernstein

STEVEN GERRARD came close to being a hero on his final Premier League derby at Goodison Park but dominant Liverpool ultimately had to settle for a point.

Gerrard, 34, was denied a free-kick goal by Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles, then saw an acrobatic overhead kick deflected wide by Steven Naismith.

Despite being the home side, Everton failed to register a shot on target until the 86th minute — when Simon Mignolet saved from Seamus Coleman — and seemed content to settle for a draw which left them in mid-table and Liverpool four points off a Champions League spot.

It was a relatively low-key derby with an absence of aggro until Jordan Henderson and Naismith squared up to each other and dished out verbals late on. Both men were booked as their team-mates moved in to separate them.

Gerrard’s appearance on the team sheet for his 33rd and final Merseyside derby was somewhat overshadow­ed by the presence of 19-year-old Jordon Ibe, who was chosen by Brendan Rodgers to make only his second Liverpool start.

Ibe, a quick, strong and direct winger, had been recalled from a successful loan spell at Derby last month and, after t wo cameo appearance­s as a substitute against Sunderland and West Ham, the Liverpool manager felt confident to pitch him against Everton rightback Coleman.

Last season’s correspond­ing fixture had ended in a pulsating 3-3 draw when both teams were in the top-five and bang in form.

Things have been a little less exuberant on Merseyside this campaign, though a 5.30pm kick-off — against the advice of Merseyside Police — meant the floodlight­s were on at the start and added to the atmosphere.

Predictabl­y, Gerrard was booed all the way out of the tunnel, something he may even miss when he moves to California.

Liverpool looked the far more cohesive outfit in the opening stages as their league position a dozen points ahead of their rivals would suggest. Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling knocked the ball around at pace, in contrast to Romelu Lukaku, whose poor first touch brought groans from the home supporters.

When Mamadou Sakho fell and referee Anthony Taylor awarded a push against Naismith, there was a cacophony of pantomime howls.

Predictabl­y, the pace was so frenetic that there was little pattern to the first half, apart from the fact that Liverpool looked better.

Sterling shot into the side netting when he should have done better and Gerrard had a great chance to write another fairytale when Coutinho was brought down on the edge of the box.

The Reds skipper curled his free-kick towards the top corner but Robles had time to get there and tip it over the bar.

Lucas Leiva became the first casualty of the blood-and-thunder battle, making way for Joe Allen after 16 minutes with what might have been a muscle pull. Everton, boosted by the return of midfielder James McCarthy after six games out with a hamstring injury, did not try to be pretty for once, despite their manager Roberto Martinez’s well-known football philosophy.

Instead, they chased and harried as derby days demand and, in Naismith, they had the perfect rottweiler. McCarthy was immense in reading the game and breaking up Liverpool play. But after being quiet for most of the half, Ibe suddenly burst into life — and how.

He had just given away a loose pass to Lukaku inside his own half when Coutinho gave him a chance to make amends. This time Ibe just ran, left two Everton defenders in his wake and cracked a shot that beat Robles before thudding against the left-hand upright.

Liverpool fans were relieved Coutinho came out for the second half having been the subject of some heavy Everton treatment, most notably when McCarthy picked up a yellow card.

But it was a surprise to see no sign of Ross Barkley seeing as he had spent the last couple of minutes of the first half on the touchline waiting to get on.

Despite their commitment, Everton had failed to land a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes and registered just one corner.

Liverpool continued to look the more threatenin­g after the break and, after Sterling’s shot had been turned aside by Robles, Gerrard tried an acrobatic overhead kick from the corner that cannoned of Naismith’s head and flew narrowly wide.

Daniel Sturridge, who returned last weekend with a goal after a series of muscular injuries, came on for the battered Coutinho after 55 minutes. But it was Aaron Lennon, signed on deadline day from Spurs, rather than Barkley, who came on for Kevin Mirallas five minutes later.

Lennon had been mocked for looking miserable in his official club photograph following his loan switch to Merseyside. But he got an appreciati­ve roar from the Goodison faithful as he came on with their side looking distinctly second best.

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