Rival Mersey managers Rafael Benitez and David Moyes have fallen out again over tactics following Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Everton at Anfield yesterday.
Meeting in the fourth round of the FA Cup, the sides produced an identical scoreline to their Premier League meeting at the same ground just six days earlier.
Joleon Lescott headed Everton ahead in the 27th minute but Steven Gerrard equalised on 54 minutes to ensure both sides went into the draw for the fifth round, which will pair the winners at home to Aston Villa or Doncaster Rovers on the weekend of February 14 – after a replay at Goodison Park a week on Wednesday.
Despite taking the lead, Moyes’s side were forced to defend for long periods and his opposite number Benitez was unimpressed with what he thought were negative tactics by the Scot.
The Liverpool manager said: “Clearly we dominated the game, controlled it, but we just couldn’t score the second goal.
“I expected to win after we equalised, but the quality and character we showed today was very positive.
“I felt one team was trying to win this game and the other was trying not to lose, but I’m still really pleased with my team.”
Benitez sparked friction between the neighbouring sides two years ago when he described Everton’s tactics as those of a ‘small club’ following a 0-0 draw at Anfield, a remark that led then-Goodison Park chief executive Keith Wyness to reply: “Benitez is in a minority of one in believing Everton is a small club.
“Somehow we just expect more of a Liverpool manager.”
However, on this occasion, Moyes, while showing his displeasure at the Spaniard’s latest claim, offered praise to his opposite number’s team.
He said: “I’d never come here looking for a draw that’s for sure. I might have taken a draw in the end.
“We look after our business here, we do things with a bit of dignity at Everton.
“Liverpool is a great football club – they’ve got a great chance of winning the Premier League.
“In the end we got a good point on Monday and we’ve taken a good side to a replay in the cup so from that point of view on this occasion I feel Everton have the upper hand.”
He added: “I was satisfied with a draw. It was a really tough game, we’ve been to Anfield twice in a week and got draws.
“There was a lot said that we wouldn’t be in the next round so we’re pleased we’ve given ourselves a chance of going through now.”
Although Everton will now get a chance to face their neighbours on home turf, Moyes does not think they can be considered favourites.
He said: “We’ve come to a side who have got a lot of big players and have spent big to win trophies so that makes it difficult for a side like Everton.
“I don’t think we’ll be favourites, you couldn’t class Everton as favourites at this moment in time but what you do know is that the players are extremely resilient.
“We’ve come here over two 90 minutes against a team with great aspirations and made it very hard for them to score.”
While Benitez had virtually a fully fit squad to choose from, Moyes was without his two most expensive players Marouane Fellaini and Ayegbeni Yakubu while playmaker Mikel Arteta was a late withdrawal with a rib injury so the Everton manager was pleased with his side’s display in the circumstances.
He said: “We had Arteta, Fellaini, Yakubu and Saha out but Liverpool had all their players available over the two games.
“We’ve got players to come back and hopefully that will help us.
“As you could see, once it was 1-1 it was difficult for us to try and find another way to find a second goal to get back in front. We really didn’t have the physical capabilities to do so.”
Moyes added: “I was disappointed that Liverpool had got so much possession and I was hoping to have stemmed that but I have to say at times Liverpool played well with the ball.
“In the main I felt quite comfortable defensively with Lescott, Jagielka and the goalkeeper because the boys are in good form and showed it.
“We’re disappointed because when we went in 1-0 up at half-time I said to them ‘in six out of the last seven games you’ve not conceded any goals so just go out and do it again in the second half and you’ll come in winners’.
Although Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was criticised for letting Steven Gerrard’s equaliser beat him at the near post, Moyes did not blame the American international, who made a superb save from the Liverpool skipper minutes later.
He said: “It could have been more but the goalkeeper was terrific and has been for us.
“We were in a wee bit of a mess before that but there was an exquisite piece of skill by Torres who back-heeled the ball into Gerrard’s path so sometimes you hold your hand up and accept that.”
Meeting in the fourth round of the FA Cup, the sides produced an identical scoreline to their Premier League meeting at the same ground just six days earlier.
Joleon Lescott headed Everton ahead in the 27th minute but Steven Gerrard equalised on 54 minutes to ensure both sides went into the draw for the fifth round, which will pair the winners at home to Aston Villa or Doncaster Rovers on the weekend of February 14 – after a replay at Goodison Park a week on Wednesday.
Despite taking the lead, Moyes’s side were forced to defend for long periods and his opposite number Benitez was unimpressed with what he thought were negative tactics by the Scot.
The Liverpool manager said: “Clearly we dominated the game, controlled it, but we just couldn’t score the second goal.
“I expected to win after we equalised, but the quality and character we showed today was very positive.
“I felt one team was trying to win this game and the other was trying not to lose, but I’m still really pleased with my team.”
Benitez sparked friction between the neighbouring sides two years ago when he described Everton’s tactics as those of a ‘small club’ following a 0-0 draw at Anfield, a remark that led then-Goodison Park chief executive Keith Wyness to reply: “Benitez is in a minority of one in believing Everton is a small club.
“Somehow we just expect more of a Liverpool manager.”
However, on this occasion, Moyes, while showing his displeasure at the Spaniard’s latest claim, offered praise to his opposite number’s team.
He said: “I’d never come here looking for a draw that’s for sure. I might have taken a draw in the end.
“We look after our business here, we do things with a bit of dignity at Everton.
“Liverpool is a great football club – they’ve got a great chance of winning the Premier League.
“In the end we got a good point on Monday and we’ve taken a good side to a replay in the cup so from that point of view on this occasion I feel Everton have the upper hand.”
He added: “I was satisfied with a draw. It was a really tough game, we’ve been to Anfield twice in a week and got draws.
“There was a lot said that we wouldn’t be in the next round so we’re pleased we’ve given ourselves a chance of going through now.”
Although Everton will now get a chance to face their neighbours on home turf, Moyes does not think they can be considered favourites.
He said: “We’ve come to a side who have got a lot of big players and have spent big to win trophies so that makes it difficult for a side like Everton.
“I don’t think we’ll be favourites, you couldn’t class Everton as favourites at this moment in time but what you do know is that the players are extremely resilient.
“We’ve come here over two 90 minutes against a team with great aspirations and made it very hard for them to score.”
While Benitez had virtually a fully fit squad to choose from, Moyes was without his two most expensive players Marouane Fellaini and Ayegbeni Yakubu while playmaker Mikel Arteta was a late withdrawal with a rib injury so the Everton manager was pleased with his side’s display in the circumstances.
He said: “We had Arteta, Fellaini, Yakubu and Saha out but Liverpool had all their players available over the two games.
“We’ve got players to come back and hopefully that will help us.
“As you could see, once it was 1-1 it was difficult for us to try and find another way to find a second goal to get back in front. We really didn’t have the physical capabilities to do so.”
Moyes added: “I was disappointed that Liverpool had got so much possession and I was hoping to have stemmed that but I have to say at times Liverpool played well with the ball.
“In the main I felt quite comfortable defensively with Lescott, Jagielka and the goalkeeper because the boys are in good form and showed it.
“We’re disappointed because when we went in 1-0 up at half-time I said to them ‘in six out of the last seven games you’ve not conceded any goals so just go out and do it again in the second half and you’ll come in winners’.
Although Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was criticised for letting Steven Gerrard’s equaliser beat him at the near post, Moyes did not blame the American international, who made a superb save from the Liverpool skipper minutes later.
He said: “It could have been more but the goalkeeper was terrific and has been for us.
“We were in a wee bit of a mess before that but there was an exquisite piece of skill by Torres who back-heeled the ball into Gerrard’s path so sometimes you hold your hand up and accept that.”
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