Liverpool 4 – Everton 0

It’s the Superbowl tomorrow…      Good luck to the Seattle Seahawks tomorrow but the outstanding sporting event of the week month  year  decade on Merseyside was Liverpool’s thrashing of their rivals from across the park – Everton.  Non-sporting persons may want to ignore this post and come back in a day or so..

Liverpool 4 – Everton 0

On Tuesday night, Liverpool ripped up the history books, recording their biggest victory in the Merseyside Derby since 1982, and their biggest at Anfield in this scrap for local supremacy since 1972, by cutting Everton to pieces with the pace and precision of their counter-attacks. The Kop loved it, chanting “Liverpool are magic, Everton are tragic”,  a reminder of the late Emlyn Hughes’ grabbing of the microphone at the civic reception held at St George’s Hall after the 1977 European Cup final.

Captain Steven Gerrard was the mainstay of the team as always.  His sixth goal of the season was Liverpool’s 150th in all derbies at Anfield. He has now scored nine times against Everton (only Ian Rush, with 25, has scored more for Liverpool in derbies). It had to be Gerrard, who loves the derby intensity and significance, scoring the opener.

A slightly more selfish professional, Daniel Sturridge, struck twice, and missed a penalty which will staying missing for a while.

Luis Suárez put in another outstanding 90 minutes, including Liverpool’s fourth goal which started after a rather unequal foot race against Phil Jagielka from the halfway line. Embodied by the tireless Suárez, Liverpool’s work-rate was of the highest order.

If Gerrard and Sturridge vied for the man-of-the-match honours, Suárez’s willingness to cover back as well as race forward, registering his 23rd goal of the season, was also worthy of praise. Philippe Coutinho left to a standing ovation, deservedly so because of the intelligence of his vision and distribution.