Reds earn replay after Howard howler
Liverpool have drawn their last three games
Also In The News
|
FA Cup holders Portsmouth have been knocked out of the competition after suffering a 2-0 defeat at home to Swansea. |  |
Sunday, 25, Jan 2009 09:02
A blunder from goalkeeper Tim Howard earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw with Everton in the FA Cup fourth round at Anfield.
The visitors had led through Joleon Lescott's first-half header but Steven Gerrard equalised when his ambitious shot went through Howard.
And the Reds will feel that piece of luck was the least they deserved after carving out a hatful of chances in the second Merseyside derby of the week.
They made the brighter start with Xabi Alonso thundering a shot wide after 20 seconds, while Jamie Carragher lashed his effort into the side-netting.
But against the run of play, the Toffees grabbed the lead on 27 minutes when Tim Cahill's header goalwards from a corner was flicked in by Lescott.
David Moyes' troops defended well for the remainder of the half with Liverpool restricted to long-range efforts, with Javier Mascherano going close with a 25-yard pile-driver.
The Reds continued to bombard the Everton goal after the break with Gerrard's flick landing on the roof of the net.
And it was the skipper who netted the equalizer when his strike from 15 yards went straight through Howard on 54 minutes.
The American shot-stopper redeemed himself minutes later with a point-blank save to keep out Fernando Torres' volley from ten yards.
Alonso then came close to grabbing a second when he headed agonisingly wide from Gerrard's corner.
Rafael Benitez's men threw everything at their opponents in the closing stages with Dirk Kuyt shooting straight at Howard while the below-par Torres, who has yet to score at Anfield this season, failing to connect with Gerrard's cross.
Andrea Dossena was the latest to try his luck with a daisy-cutter from 30 yards that Howard smothered, but the visitors held on to match the result they got against their rivals in the league on Monday.