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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Everton v Liverpool, Premier League

All the action as it happened from Goodison Park, where a controversial late decision had a massive impact on the game.

It was the first Merseyside derby of the season as Liverpool made the arduous one-mile voyage through Stanley Park to face Everton at Goodison Park.

We were live for all the action on a massive day in the Premier League.

As always, we’d love you to get in contact, so send us your thoughts by emailing tony@thescore.ie, via Twitter @thescore_ie, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

Full-Time: Everton 2-2 Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers says that Pepe Reina isn’t 100% fit but the curious thing is that the Spaniard appears on the Liverpool bench. Could it be that he is being punished for a series of below par performances?

Elsewhere, Glen Johnson has had some back spasms so his place is taken by Jose Enrique.

For the home side, Marouane Fellaini is back earlier than expected to take his spot in the Everton midfield, while Steven Naismith starts instead of the suspended Steven Pienaar.

Here are the teams…

Everton: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Naismith, Osman, Neville, Mirallas, Fellaini, Jelavic
Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Heitinga, Oviedo, Hitzlsperger, Gueye, Vellios

Liverpool: Jones, Wisdom, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique, Fernandez Saez, Sahin, Gerrard, Allen, Sterling, Suarez
Subs: Reina, Assaidi, Henderson, Coates, Downing, Carragher, Shelvey

Referee: Andre Marriner

Former Ireland player Kevin Sheedy, who coaches the Everton under-18s, is applauded by the crowd after being given the all-clear from bowel cancer. Nice touch.

The players are walking out on to the pitch.

Everton attack early and Jelavic tries to find Naismith with his cross, but Skrtel clears…

A corner from Baines is headed out by Agger. Enrique rampages forward but his attempted pass to Raheem Sterling is just awful. The 17-year-old is incensed as he could have been clear there.

Suarez almost gets free of Jagielka after a fine ball from Enrique but the defender has the measure of the Uruguayan. That battle is going to be key today.

Everton then go forward but Jelavic can’t reach a pass from Naismith.

Chance! Kevin Mirallas has Baines on his outside but he doesn’t need him. The Belgian scythes through the Liverpool defence before his cross is turned behind by Agger. Great play from the Everton wideman.

The Mirror lads should really stick to the prose…

Goal for Liverpool!

After some sustained Liverpool pressure, Enrique crosses and Sterling is fouled in the box. Before Andre Marriner has a chance to think of a penalty, Luis Suarez hammers the ball in off Baines.

Suarez then runs towards David Moyes before diving right in front of the Everton boss. He will not like that.

Twitter is already divided on the Suarez celebration. Some are saying he’s showing himself up as a complete ‘reprobate,’ others (probably Liverpool fans) say it’s the best since Robbie Fowler sniffed the goal-line.

Liverpool have scored again!

Leon Osman receives the first booking of the game for a foul on Sterling. From the free-kick, Steven Gerrard floats a brilliant ball in and Suarez beats the off-side trap to glance a header past Howard.

Then, Everton go straight up the other side and pull one back!

Sterling loses Osman when the ball comes in and the veteran midfielder arrows a shot past Jones.

This game is a bit good.

A cross from Mirallas comes off the head of Skrtel and just wide of his own goal. Liverpool have looked nervous since scoring their second goal.

What a game! Hard to keep up.

First, Suarez fizzes a snapshot just wide of Howard’s goal, before Mirallas and Fellaini almost combine for an equaliser. The big haired one overruns the ball though.

Sterling is booked for going in late on Baines. As is usual for the Merseyside derby, it’s hard to see this one reaching 90 minutes without a sending off or two.

Suso and Sterling swap wings after the latter receives a stern lecture, in the presence of Gerrard, for another foul. He needs to be careful.

Naismith levels for Everton!

Once again, the brilliant Mirallas and Fellaini combine down the left. Liverpool should stop the cross from Fellaini but they can’t, and Naismith taps in from close range. That’s his first goal for Everton. Well deserved for the home side.

A youngster in the crowd waves a red card in the direction of Marriner. Got to love that Scouse sense of humour…

Great defending from Skrtel after the mercurial Mirallas turns Andre Wisdom with ease. The youngster’s having a bit of a nightmare at right-back for Liverpool.

The ball falls to Seamus Coleman on the edge of the Liverpool box and the Irish defender shoots just over Jones’ bar. Lucky for Liverpool, who will do extremely well to keep the Toffees out if they continue to perform as sloppily as this.

Phil Neville, of all people, is booked for diving after going down far too easily under a Daniel Agger challenge.

Liverpool go on the attack but Steven Gerrard’s attempted volley heads for the stars.

We’re at half-time in a thoroughly entertaining (and error filled) game. Time for tea and some Maltesers here.

Prepare to hear a lot more about this particular incident…

An interesting tweet from Lauren ‘daughter of David’ Moyes…

We think she has a point.

Dreadful, awful, horrible miss from Sterling!

The winger is freed by a great ball by Enrique but he completely slices his shot wide. Suarez is apoplectic as he was in a good position if the youngster had just pulled the ball back.

At the other end, the Everton fans scream for a penalty as Skrtel catches Baines, but it isn’t given.

Lauren Moyes has withdrawn her last tweet and apologised for getting caught up in the moment. It happens.

Controversial decision from Marriner, who only books Jagielka despite a clear professional foul on Sterling. The only factor in the ref’s favour is that Sterling was not guaranteed to reach the ball.

Close for Everton! Coleman’s cross reaches Fellaini, who heads just wide. Liverpool are living dangerously.

A brilliant one-two between Coleman and Fellaini and the full-back crosses, but Skrtel just manages to distract Jelavic. The Slovakian has kept Liverpool in the game.

Jelavic gets to a Baines free-kick ahead of Fellaini but it goes wide.

Another great chance from Jelavic, much better than last time, but he heads wide. Liverpool need to stop giving away stupid free-kicks in dangerous areas. Joe Allen was the guilty party this time for fouling Coleman.

Jordan Henderson comes on for Liverpool, replacing Andre Wisdom. The Reds have used all their subs with 20 minutes remaining.

Suarez is booked for the fourth time this season for a stupid, cheap tackle from behind on Sylvain Distin.

The Reds striker is just one yellow card away from a suspension. Luckily Liverpool have an abundance of striking talent in reserve.

Shelvey’s introduction has made a difference but the youngster should have played Sterling in. Instead, he took a shot that was never going to bother Howard.

A much quieter and more disjointed second half here.

Skrtel gets in another block to deny Baines, after good work from Distin. Everton are looking threatening.

Chance! Henderson’s cross finds Steven Gerrard and the captain’s shot is blocked by the foot of Jagielka.

Suarez, having wriggled free and tested Howard, picks up a coin thrown from the crowd and puts it in his boot.

Elsewhere, Gareth Bale has put Tottenham 1-0 up against Southampton.

Bryan Oviedo, on for Naismith, crosses well but Shelvey clears. There are three minutes left in the game, plus added time, but it’s looking more and more like a draw at Goodison.

The 25-year-old Steven Gerrard tried to power into the Everton box but the 32-year-old Steven Gerrard can’t make it.

Four minutes of added time, as Suarez is named as man of the match.

Liverpool score! NO THEY DON’T!!!

Luis Suarez wheels away after thinking he has scored the winner from a Sebastian Coates knockdown, but the ball is ruled out. He was clearly on-side so Liverpool surround the referee on the full-time whistle.

The match has ended 2-2 but the visitors will feel they should have won the game.

Thanks for keeping up, we’ll be back shortly for Chelsea v Manchester United…

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