Red Tide on the Mersey: Liverpool 3 - 1 Everton

Liverpool were victorious in a passionate and entertainment packed 203rd Merseyside derby.

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard was sent off after just 18 minutes and Everton substitute Andy van der Meyde followed with 18 minutes left.

A Phil Neville own goal, a Luis Garcia strike and Harry Kewell's cracker from 25 yards maintained Liverpool's grip on a game which saw Tim Cahill pull one back for Everton.

The defeat will be a severe embarrassment for Everton, who had high hopes of European qualification after just one league defeat since Christmas, but rarely got themselves into a game that should have been theirs for the taking after Gerrard's early departure.

Cahill's tackle from behind on Gerrard saw the first booking and the scene was set for a constant stream of cards.

Five minutes later Gerrard was in the book for kicking the ball into the Kop after Everton were awarded a free-kick.

A minute later Liverpool's skipper was off the pitch after his lunging tackle on Kilbane missed the ball and took the player.

Xabi Alonso was next into Dowd's book for a foul on Neville on 23 minutes before football broke out and Luis Garcia curled a fine effort from the right just over Richard Wright's bar.
It did not last long. Alan Stubbs and Kewell were then hauled out of a penalty box melee awaiting a free-kick, to both be booked.

A minute from the break Liverpool found themselves ahead. Alonso's near-post corner was headed into the far side of his own net by former Manchester United man Neville.

Liverpool would have settled for parity at the break after the previous incidents, but 99 seconds into the second period they were remarkably two goals to the good.

Reina's huge clearance down the right was flicked on by Crouch to allow Luis Garcia to clip the ball over Gary Naysmith and skip round the Scot before lifting a neat effort over Wright and into the net.

Dowd was kept busy booking Kilbane and Weir for fouls on Alonso and Sissoko. From the second free kick Alonso's effort clipped the bar.

Wright made a fine save to his left to keep out a Kewell effort before the game was reduced to 10 aside on 74 minutes when Van der Meyde was sent off for catching Alonso in the face with his elbow as the pair contested a high ball.

Then Ferguson became their eighth yellow card when he clattered Alonso in the back just a couple of minutes after the incident that saw Van der Meyde sent off.

Sami Hyypia had a header chalked off when the linesman signalled Crouch offside on 79 minutes.

Five minutes later, though, Liverpool sealed the points when Steve Finnan fed Kewell 25 yards out and the Australian casually launched a dipping drive into the top corner.