Premier League Merseyside Derby Match 5
Everton FC 2:0 Liverpool FC
In November 1994, Everton were in big trouble. They were bottom of the Premier League with just one victory to their name from 16 outings. Mike Walker had been sacked in early November and replaced by former goalscoring legend Joe Royle. He had a major task on his hands.
By contrast, Liverpool FC went into the 151st Merseyside Derby in peak form. Roy Evans’ side had lost just three times all season and were sitting comfortably inside the top five. They also had enjoyed the better of this fixture in recent times, winning 20 of the previous 42 encounters with the Toffees.
As is usually the case with this fixture, there was a frenetic approach to it from both sides. Liverpool dominated possession throughout the first half but had little to show for this territory. Neville Southall was experiencing a quiet evening as Everton looked to build on recent clean sheets achieved in Walker’s final games as the club’s manager against West Ham United and Norwich City.
At half-time, Matt Jackson was forced off by injury. Rather than make a like-for-like change, Royle sensed the opportunity was there for the blue half of Merseyside to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Paul Rideout was sent on to join the power of Daniel Amokachi and Duncan Ferguson upfront for the second half.
There was an immediate response to the positive change from the manager. Amokachi’s deflected shot needed saving from James but from the resultant corner just before the hour mark, Everton took the lead. Andy Hinchcliffe delivered an in-swinging corner into the danger area. Goalkeeper James came into the crowd but never looked like taking control of the situation. He was beaten to the ball by Ferguson whose towering header found the back of the net for his first Everton goal since joining on-loan from Scottish powerhouses Rangers.
Although Liverpool had a more pressurized spell after the goal, forwards Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush got short change out of Dave Watson and David Unsworth all evening. Rideout hit the post before the visitors were sunk by more aerial prowess from Ferguson in the 89th minute. Hinchcliffe floated in another deep delivery. Again, Ferguson got the better of James in the air and via a deflection, the ball fell perfectly for Rideout to slot the ball into the empty net and seal a wonderful victory on opening night for Royle.
The win took Everton off the bottom of the table and they wouldn’t return there either. They rallied to finish 15th despite not being officially safe until five days before the season concluded. The silver lining to the season was victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup final with Rideout scoring the winner. Liverpool’s form tailed off slightly after this defeat but they still finished fourth in the final standings and also claimed silverware, beating Bolton Wanderers 2-1 to win the League Cup.
Liverpool: 1 James, 20 Bjornebye (15 Redknapp 64), 2 Jones, 25 Ruddock, 12 Scales, 6 Babb, 17 McManaman, 14 Molby, 10 Barnes, 23 Fowler, 9 Rush
Unused Subs: 13 Stensgaard, 7 Clough
Shirt Worn: Home-Red
Manager: Roy Evans
Everton: Southall, Ablett, Hinchcliffe, Jackson (Rideout 45), Unsworth, Watson, Horne, Ebbrell, Parkinson, Amokachi (Limpar 77), Ferguson
Unused Subs:
Goal(s): Ferguson, Rideout
Shirt Worn: Blue
Manager: Joe Royle
Referee: Dermot Gallagher Banbury
Attendance: 39,866
Venue: Goodison Park
Kick Off: Monday - 20:00
Date: 1994-11-21
HT/FT: D/L (0-0)/0-2
Goal Sequence (Liverpool first): 0-1, 0-2
Match shown: Live on SKY Sports
Competition: Premiership
Position at Start of match day: 4 / Opposition Position at Start of match day: 22
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