By Chris Kirwan
December 22 2002

Pistone, Stubbs, Weir, and Hibbert/Watson were instrumental in gaining a well-deserved point at Anfield. The point ensured that the Blues will go into Christmas ahead of the Reds.

Despite the enforced changes at the back the Blues were never under any sustained pressure. Against any Premiership side you expect to have a 5 minute period when it's a case of surviving the onslaught, but this never materialised from the R-S. The whole team worked tirelessly, and the back four were exceptional. Yobo and Unsworth may well find it hard to break back into the starting eleven.

Once again the Blues had to put up with an inept performance by Graham Poll, who bottled the decision to dismiss Steven Gerrard after a disgraceful two-footed lunge on Gary Naysmith. But despite the majority of the 50/50 decisions going against the Blues, Liverpool lacked the imagination and craft to break down a resolute Everton, and now have to face up to the fact that they are no longer title challengers.

Moyes said, “I thought we could play much better. I wouldn’t have said it was the best football we’ve played all season, and probably not the best performance all season. But coming to Anfield and getting a point is no mean task, and I’ve said to the players it was a good point for us.” And the point was made even sweeter by the fact that Everton stay above the Reds, and now attention turns to a tough Boxing day fixture against Birmingham.