Everton v Liverpool: Top 5 Moments of Comedy on Merseyside
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There’s little love lost between the red and blue halves of Merseyside and when Liverpool head to Goodison Park this weekend it could prove to be a season-defining clash for all concerned.
The Reds are the 13/10 favourites for victory following their 2-1 comeback win over Bolton in the FA Cup and a haul of 16 points from the last 18 available in the Premier League while the Toffees are 2/1 outsiders despite a battling 1-0 win away at Crystal Palace last weekend.
A win could be the different between a top 10 finish and yet more struggles at the wrong end of the table for Everton while three points for Liverpool could breathe fresh life into their Champions League qualification hopes.
With emotions likely to be running high come 5.30pm on Saturday, here at Ladbrokes we’ve decided to try and lighten the mood with a trip down memory lane and a look at some of the more amusing Merseyside moments of yesteryear.
1. Luis Suarez and the David Moyes dive
The Uruguayan famously clashed with the then-Toffees boss after Moyes accused Suarez of diving.
Naturally the only way for the Liverpool striker to respond was by scoring a goal, running over to the Everton dugout and leaping to the ground in an exaggerated and most likely painful fashion.
Moyes got something in the way of payback this season, however, after leading his Real Sociedad team to a 1-0 victory over Suarez and his Barcelona teammates in La Liga.
2. Jamie Carragher’s penalty own goal
A Liverpool man through and through, Carragher’s goals for the Reds were arguably rarer than the ones he scored against the Anfield club during his career.
It was therefore fitting that his testimonial match – a slightly friendlier Merseyside derby clash with the Toffees – should provide the setting for one of his more light-hearted efforts.
With Everton awarded a penalty, new Reading signing Yakubu prepared to take the spot-kick, only for Carragher to interrupt proceedings, putting the penalty past his own keeper Brad Jones to the cheers of all those in attendance.
3. Rafa Benitez’s Sky Sports Magic Show
Even the most ardent of Everton supporters would be willing to admit Rafa Benitez worked some special magic during his time at Liverpool, with the Spaniard taking a very ordinary Reds side and turning them into European Champions during his first season at the club.
But in case they needed reminding that Rafa truly was a magician during his Anfield tenure, this piece of footage from Sky Sports coverage of the Merseyside derby shows the big man doing his stuff for the cameras.
4. Liverpool v Everton on the Fanzone
Sky Sports’ Fanzone coverage has always provided plenty in the way of laughs, from the Manchester City supporter present for their 6-1 rout of United to the Leeds man who despaired after a 4-0 loss to Leicester.
And so it was in 2009, when Liverpool headed to Everton for another derby day encounter that prompted big cheers and plastic ears from the Reds man in attendance.
5. Don Hutchison and the phantom goal
Rivalled only by Nicolas Anelka in the multiple Premier League club stakes, Hutchison remains one of a handful of players to have played for both Liverpool and Everton.
Unlike Nicky Barmby, however, the Gateshead-born midfielder is famous for scoring the Merseyside derby goal that never was, thanks in no small part to the comedy refereeing of Graham Poll.
With the clock ticking down on a drab 0-0 encounter, Sander Westerveld prepared to hoof a free-kick upfield. However, the resulting kick struck the back of Hutchison and began trickling towards the Dutch keeper’s unguarded net.
It was at this point that Poll opted to blow for full-time.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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