Liverpool’s monthlong search for a league win ended with a 2-0 victory at Everton after Joseph Yobo’s own-goal and Dirk Kuyt’s late strike settled the 212th Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Liverpool’s victory owed much to Yobo’s errors. The Everton center back inadvertently diverted Javier Mascherano’s 30m strike past goalkeeper Tim Howard in the 12th minute, and another late mistake from Nigeria international led to Kuyt’s goal.
Yobo’s error on an attempted clearance in the 80th allowed Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard to seize the loose ball and tee up Albert Riera for a shot that was parried by Howard but then kicked into the net by Kuyt.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Liverpool’s first league victory since Oct. 25 was secured without injured striker Fernando Torres, and it helped lift some of the gloom surrounding the club in the wake of its elimination from the Champions League.
“It was an important game to move up the league,” Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said. “We’ve not performed as well as we’d have liked this season. But we’re the ones who can change that, with a couple of wins hopefully we can do that, but we still have a long way to go.”
Everton’s third straight loss leaves them two points above the relegation zone.
“I thought the players did a good job,” Everton manager David Moyes said. “I’ve got encouragement from today but it doesn’t change our position.”
Everton striker Jo did find the back of the net twice but he was correctly judged to be offside both times.
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina almost handed Everton a soft goal when he fumbled Steven Pienaar’s long-range shot and the ball dropped behind him before he quickly recovered it.
Reina made two crucial saves from Tim Cahill’s header and Marouane Fellaini’s follow-up.
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez labeled fellow-Spaniard Reina “one of the best keepers in the world” after the game.
“We have seen that he is a top class keeper,” said Benitez, after his side climbed into fifth spot in the table.
“When we signed him we knew that we were getting a very good keeper. For me he is one of the best in the world,” he said.
Kuyt also praised Reina as Liverpool recorded their first clean sheet victory away from home in the Premier League since last season.
“He is one of the best in the world,” said the Netherlands international. “He really helped us out today.”
Benitez is now urging his players to learn from that and use their latest victory as a springboard to kick on.
“It’s always important win games in a row,” Benitez said. “We have some days to go before we go to Blackburn so we will prepare like we always do.”
“This was a really important win for us because this was always going to be a difficult game,” he said. “We are higher in the table now, everyone is happier and we’ll see if we can go on from here.”
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