LIVERPOOL // Everton manager David Moyes complained that another decision went against his side to deny him a first win at Anfield.
The 220th Merseyside derby ended goalless, but the Toffees manager was unhappy that Sylvain Distin's second-half header was ruled out for a foul on Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina.
A draw extended Everton's winless run in the league at their near-neighbours to 14 years - beyond Moyes's time at the club - but the Scot said that had his side received their fair share of decisions in that time, their results would have been dramatically different.
"It was a legitimate goal. The goalkeeper runs into Victor Anichebe and it is a goal," he said.
"The referee said Victor impeded the goalkeeper, but the goalkeeper ran into him, so it can't possibly be a free kick.
"It is not a foul. It is disappointing, because it is not easy here.
"You people [the media] are quick to remind me I've not won at Anfield, but if you don't get any decisions at Anfield, it makes it very difficult to win and that is quite a regular occurrence when you come here.
"If you score a good goal, you need to get something going for you."
Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers had a different view of the incident, insisting referee Michael Oliver was right in his assessment.
"I think when you see it again, the referee has good sight of it early," he said. "As the ball has virtually left the corner, he has blown up for a foul.
"I wasn't 100 per cent sure at the time it wasn't for Distin's foul on [Jamie] Carragher or whether it was Anichebe, but I think it was Anichebe's initial push. It is one of those where if you are the manager, you probably see the decision as the correct one.
"I am sure David will be disappointed the goal did not stand, but I thought Michael was very good today."
Comparisons were made to the goal Luis Suarez had ruled out when the two sides drew 2-2 earlier in the season, but Rodgers disagreed.
"This was different to our goal at Goodison Park he [Suarez] was clearly onside when he scored," he said.
"If you look at this decision here, the referee has had a clear view of it and before there is any contact with the ball, he has already blown. That was probably Everton's best possibility, to score from a set-piece."
Sixth-placed Everton left Anfield with their five-point cushion over their rivals intact and Moyes said that was significant in itself.
"I've been here a lot and I've drawn quite a lot here," he said. "I've not won, but maybe draws aren't bad results and sometimes we don't get credit for that.
"I thought we had a good chance to win. Liverpool had opportunities as well, but you would expect that."
Everton's best chance fell to midfielder Marouane Fellaini in the first half, but he volleyed Leighton Baines' free kick wide from four yards.
Opportunities were few, but Liverpool's dropped to Steven Gerrard, whose effort was cleared off the line by Distin after the midfielder had gone around goalkeeper Tim Howard. Rodgers said his side needed something extra in the final third.
"I thought it was a typical, frantic game," he said.
"First half, we had no fluency, really, with only a couple of half-possibilities. It as much better second half. We created a few opportunities, which we maybe could have scored.
"I thought we were unfortunate not to score."
Follow us
[ @SprtNationalUAE ]
