EPL week 9

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Liverpool staged a dramatic comeback with two Dirk Kuyt penalties to claim a famous 2-1 victory in the Merseyside derby.

Sami Hyypia is desolate as Everton players celebrate his own-goal.

Liverpool had been humiliated 3-0 in the same fixture last season but claimed revenge as Everton pair Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville were sent off, before the home side were denied a late penalty.

Both Everton dismissals were for incidents that produced Liverpool's second-half penalties. Hibbert brought down Steven Gerrard in the box and Neville handled on the line.

Kuyt was coolness personified as he drilled home the spotkicks to produce a victory that will do much for Liverpool's sagging confidence.

• Benitez dismisses late penalty shout

Everton had deservedly led at the break with a Sami Hyypia own goal, but after being reduced to 10 men for much of the second period - the second red card coming in the final seconds - they could not hang on for a draw.

There was no Tim Cahill, no Fernando Torres and no Xabi Alonso despite all the speculation that these injured stars would play.

Everton boss David Moyes went for Neville and Phil Jagielka in central midfield and left James McFadden on the bench.

Liverpool opted for Kuyt and Andriy Voronin in attack, while Gerrard started on the right.

Liverpool had the early edge. Gerrard almost got on the end of a crossfield ball, dropping over Hibbert's head on the Everton right.

Liverpool exploited that same space on five minutes, when Yossi Benayoun broke down the flank and set up Voronin for a snap shot that Tim Howard half stopped before snatching the ball away from Kuyt.

But when Everton got their set-plays working, they caused problems. A couple of free-kicks and a corner were not cleared well and from one cross back in from Leon Osman, Alan Stubbs saw a header drop wide of a post.

Corners and free-kicks, swirling into the near post, were a constant source of danger as Victor Anichebe saw one header flash wide.

The Reds did hit back a minute later when John Arne Riise's 25-yard free-kick was deflected just wide, but Everton's aerial threat produced a goal after 38 minutes.

A Mikel Arteta corner was half-cleared to Stubbs, who hooked it back into the danger area, where Jagielka attempted to get in a shot and the ball cannoned off Hyypia's boot high into the net for an own goal.

After the break Joleon Lescott, fresh from his England debut, was a threat on the left along with Arteta.

Osman, Neville and Jagielka in midfield pressed quick and hard, and Liverpool were again on the back foot - until a Benayoun ball out of defence gave them a lifeline.

Gerrard set off down the left channel, stretching into Everton's half with Hibbert in pursuit. The full-back was always a yard behind and when the pair reached the box, the defender clipped Gerrard from behind and referee Mark Clattenburg instantly awarded a penalty on 53 minutes.

The official showed Hibbert the red card before Kuyt stepped up to drill home the spotkick.

Everton could have had a penalty themselves when Steve Finnan manhandled Lescott in the box soon afterwards, ahead of a Kuyt break that set up Riise for a shot over the bar.

Howard blocked a Voronin shot and Kuyt headed the rebound over the top as Liverpool searched for the second.

But Everton were still coming forward. Kuyt was booked for a flying lunge at Neville and Yakubu saw a 30-yarder shot go wide.

Liverpool then replaced Benayoun with Ryan Babel on 68 minutes, before Benitez took a very brave decision three minutes later to introduce young Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva for Gerrard.

The Liverpool skipper looked surprised, but trotted off to allow Lucas into central midfield and Voronin to the left. However, it was Lucas' fine ball that sent Voronin away on the left, only to scuff his shot wide.

After 77 minutes McFadden came on for Yakubu and Jermaine Pennant replaced Mohamed Sissoko, before Jamie Carragher and McFadden were booked following a tussle on the ground.

Neville was then sent off on 89 minutes for handling a Lucas shot on the line, providing Kuyt with his second penalty.

Everton finished the game complaining to Clattenburg that they should have had a last-ditch penalty for Carragher pulling down Lescott.

He refused their claim and the official was booed off after being surrounded by home players.

• Benitez dismisses late penalty shout

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez shrugged off Everton's late penalty claim after watching his side come from behind to win the Merseyside derby 2-1 at Goodison Park.

Everton finished with nine men and Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt struck two penalties to give his side victory.

The home side deservedly led at the break following a Sami Hyypia own goal.

But after the interval Tony Hibbert brought down Steven Gerrard in the box and was dismissed, and in the final seconds Phil Neville was also shown a red card for handling Lucas' shot on the line. Kuyt blasted home both spot-kicks but Everton were denied a late penalty when Jamie Carragher appeared to manhandle Joleon Lescott.

Benitez, however, dismissed the controversial incident.

'In England you don't like to see players diving so it was a surprise to me,' he said.

Asked if his side deserved to win, the Spaniard added: 'I think so. They were playing long balls and we were trying to pass.

'We were trying to go forward, creating chances with the ball on the ground. They were using long balls and trying to keep the ball high. It was difficult.'

Benitez replaced Gerrard with Lucas with 20 minutes left and said: 'In this game, sometimes you need to play with the brain and we were playing with heart. We needed to keep the ball and pass the ball.'

 
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