Rooney penalty saves a vital derby point

Klopp trying to be too clever? No Coutinho or Firminho in their starting XI.

I do hope the useless waste of space proves me wrong, and scores, but Nelson has more chance of getting his back!

David: Klopp isn't stupid enough to take chances by showing a lack of respect in that way. He would do it in words, but not in that way.

Who would you play left back?

David, Klopp isn't stupid enough to do that. He'd attempt to show a lack of respect in words, because they cost nothing, but not in that way.

Lookman and Vlasic is a good one to as two fit quick energetic lads could be very useful in the latter stages.

I smell a win for us today.

This could be a bad day to be a blue.

Parking the bus is about the best we can hope for.

For whatever reason, Klopp hasn't selected him; I am happier he is sat on the bench rather than starting.

Big Sam doesn't need much clue to rev up our team. Something like this would do:

"Boys, they're not fielding their best team. They think you can't compete. Go out and prove 'em wrong."

A bit surprised with Klopp's selection, he's either afraid of us, or lack of respect. But either way, it gives us a great chance today.

Lennon also unlucky not to make the starting eleven.

Hope I am wrong!!!

Pickford needs to stop showing off with his kicking.

Besides that we're great!

Our midfield is non existent, disappointed Beni is not on the bench, and Rooney and Sigurdsson are not wingers, and offer no help to our fullbacks.

Nothing is being played out or through the midfield. The ball is simply being hoofed 50 m over their heads to be easily mopped up by the 'poo's rearguard.

And Pickford's kicking has been absolutely woeful!!!

The one player in midfield who has shown any composure and willingness to bet himself to retain and pass the ball to a team mate is Tom Davies.

And yet, only a piece of individual brilliance has undone the game plan. Yes, the pinkies dominated possession but Pickford was not really threatened once.

We now need a goal to have any hope of getting anything from this game. Set up as we are, I have no idea where it is going to come from.

This is where Sam and his coaching team earn their corn.

Liverpool are a good side because not many teams can match their great intensity and if this was two weeks ago I'm sure we would be at least four down now?

I know Mane should have doubled their lead just before half-time, but it was a blatant push on Kenny in the build-up, fouls that only Liverpool seem to be getting up to now.

Jordan Henderson completed 60 passes in the first half – six more than the whole Everton side who collectively made just 54.

That is APPALLING!!!

Brings on the worst player at the club and a so-called winger who doesn't score.

Why the feck not???!!!

I thought our defence was excellent. I know they missed chances but that was inevitable. Considering he's playing on the wrong side, Martina was top notch. But Gueye was absolutely outstanding.

Really, really pleased. That's a platform now.

But doesn't that taking a draw from the game all the more sweeter?

ps: Can someone check in on Derek Knox after that performance by Martina? Maybe he has keeled over and can't reach the panic button to call for assistance.

WHAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT????!!!!

We've pinched a point we hardly deserved but I'll take that.

Not sure Liverpool were particularly profligate. Did they have that many chances for all their possession and threat?

We offered next to nothing. The goal came because of an inch perfect ball by Rooney, some decent play by Calvert-Lewin, but mainly because of poor defending by Lovren and then a ridiculous decision to put contact on him. I'd say it was a soft one but it was there.

Klopp looking very silly with some of his decisions.

It's not our responsibility to play an open attacking game there just so they can play their game.

Lastly, I'm fucking made up they think it's a soft penalty (which it wasn't) – the more it hurts and rankles with 'em, the better. They'll be fucking pig sick and that makes me happy.

Bitter? You'd better believe it. :-))))

We can and will play better football but we must take that today, stand tall and move on with ever stronger resolve.

Onward Evertonians.

Have faith blues. Allardyce will sort us out. We all saw today what we lack but, if the board back him, we will be sound.

Maybe just me but I can't understand why Sandro doesn't get the same game time as Niasse, he has played at a high level and just needs game time

Can't agree. Apart from a shambles for fifteen minutes after half-time the lads played a disciplined game to the manager's plan. Got a penalty off the best pass of the game and conceded after the scorer twatted Martina across the back of his neck and pushed him in the chest as he tried to make the tackle.

Roles reversed and their Bugs Bunny of a manager would have screamed for a penalty. ( Do you think his not getting his teeth fixed, given what he earns, is a sexual thing? Just speculating.)

Sigurdsson is an absolute waste of money for me. Pickford is the best signing of the summer by a mile.

Massive changes needed in the next two transfer windows because the squad we have simply isn't good enough, that's plain to see. Mirallas and Sandro look as though they are gone in January. Hopefully at least 6 more to follow in the summer.

That said, a point off the Red Shite is at Anfield is better than sweet fuck-all.

Secondly, hahahaha, that was brilliant. Absolutely loved the penalty and seeing the ground empty towards the end.

The time will come when we can go there and take the game to them but we don't have the players to do that yet. So until then, frustrate and snatch is the best we can do. We did it well today.

We were dreadful in possession and seemed to panic whenever we had the ball. They pressed so quickly and we struggled to deal, but our defenders were excellent. Of course Martina struggled against Salah. Right-footed playing on the left against one of the in-form players in the league.

Overall, very happy to get an unlikely point. Confidence will grow now.

Effort and desire in abundance, well done boys and the coaching staff.

Show the same fight and organisation, coupled with a decent forward and left back in January with injured players returning, may mean a less stressful 2nd half of the season.

I hope he continues to work on the players mentally to say we got out without losing, we can hex these from now on.

On such games and performances do foundations get built. I was looking back at our results and I think the McCallister free kick was when the current disastrous run started. There was also the game where Fowler scored late and Hutch had a goal wrongly disallowed.

We have had grotesque injustices piled on us, not least Mane's cruel winner last year so about time we got one over them.

ps: Kenny was immense.
pps: Carragher, you red cunt, whose Christmas is fucked now?

Why should we be bowing down, counting our 'blessings' for keeping this 'acclaimed' attacking side down to so few real opportunities, whilst also then earning a penalty for our own proper Blue man to slam the ball into the back of their net??? Like I say, fuck em!!

Stupid, brain-dead defending which they were punished for.

Embarrassingly poor headline. Who wrote it – Phil Neville?

Jonjoe Kenny was MotM. Gets better every game. And we played as a unit again, not 11 individuals. Before Sam, we would have collapsed after that goal.

So sweet is the fact that they couldn't break us down apart from the one goal, even when Coutinho and Firmino came on.

So happy for Klopp!

Took your tip from the other day, had a bet on Liverpool (that drove my grandson, Sonny, up the wall) so my losing run continues and those bastards lost two points, as well as a bit of face., I must have another bet on the cup game.

And reds would say, your fancy football is all very well, but if you don't score more than us, tough shit. Well, the boot is on the other foot now. We didn't play great football, and they had 90% of the possession, but they couldn't score more goals than us. So tough shit.

This squad needs some serious surgery before we can come close to playing decent football against the Sky 6, so we need to be picking up points like this at the moment.

I'm not going to celebrate a draw anywhere but, somewhere amongst a performance which didn't really rise above the grimly determined, I saw some wonderful moments and that warrants a decent drink.

Mason leaving one on Henderson was the start of my day; the look of agony on Henderson was funny enough but Mason's look of innocence was priceless.

Klopp's histrionics when the ref waved away the gobshites' hysterical claims for hand ball right outside our box properly made me laugh out loud.

The blues singing Z-Cars to a stunned Anfield.

The faces on the silent Kopites when they knew they had blown it.

Half the shite team remonstrating with the ref after the whistle... What complete fucking tools they made of themselves.

But what has made me swerve the Jim Beam and go straight to the Remy Martin was the sight of Rooney and Kenny celebrating in front of the faithful – neither one of them would have looked out of place on the other side of the wall.

For a team lauded as the best attack in England, I was disappointed. Surely MotD will put us on last and gloss over the fact luvverly Liverpool were not good enough to beat lowly Everton.

Well done to Sam and his backroom staff. Tactically superb today and denied the form team in the division an easy 3 points.

Derby day over, let's go to St James' and piss on another RS parade.

COYB

Merry Xmas indeed... you arrogant fuckers, yeooooo!!

Next to no possession means jack. We have all walked out of derbies feeling robbed, well today Klopp robbed his own fans by playing a weakened team and we dug in for a point.

Our off-the-ball shape and organisation has improved dramatically in 3 weeks. Expansive football has got us into this mess so to show some resilience is heartening. Pickford hardly had a save to make.

It was a tough ask for Martina but he deserved his place after the last couple of games. I just wish he would show some aggression, bottling out of tackles in the last 5 mins of a derby is unforgivable.

Roll on the next game. COYB.

I don't understand why our midfield has to concede almost every 50-50 though – we need more nasty competitive footballers .

I learned loads of new words including a Mong. #98 and #99 sum up exactly my feelings. Big Sam will do to us what Moyes did years ago but with a lot more money to spend. Can't wait to see MotD2 tonight

Salah needs to go to Barca too.

Hopefully moving forward we will be able to go to Anfield with a team that can compete and create chances. Well done, Sam; we rode our luck but Koeman and Bobby brown shoes would have lost that game. COYB

Results before Sam's appointment: 2-5, 1-2, 3-2, 2-2, 1-5, 1-4.

Clear priority was to produce some defensive organisation. Job done. We'll get to the other stuff.

Massive gap in psyche and dynamic between us and the RS, but three weeks ago we'd have collapsed I'm sure, and this would have been another hiding. God only knows what Koeman was doing in training, but at least the two Sams will instill some guts, dignity and self-respect in the players for the rest of this season.

A good point but for me I think it will be the end of the road at Everton for some who played and didn't make today's squad, and I think Tom Davies needs resting as it seems he's been sussed but I also think he's had over burden due to the senior players going awol in most games this season.

Klopp's selection was interesting and his subs even more interesting. Game changers but made up. Here's to a win at the bar codes on Wednesday night.

The penalty was equally as soft as Niasse's against Palace; Calvert-Lewin made sure contact would occur rather than Lovren actually trying to give him a shove. As Gary Neville said, the defender has to expect that and look to avoid it. I don't think Niasse deserved a retrospective ban and nor does Calvert-Lewin but we would also be annoyed to concede such a soft penalty.

Our attempts to keep hold of the ball in their half were largely pretty awful and that must have been part of the game plan.
The point / result is a confidence boost but the amount of recruitment (registering players, recalling loans as well as investment in first team ready purchases) necessary to get us to the point where we can go toe to toe with the likes of the RS remains daunting.

I thought the substitutions were to get Rooney out of playing right back. Kenny had Robertson, was it, in his back pocket until Rooney decided he wanted to play there. Later he turned up at left back which is where Sigurdsson had spent most of the game while Martina failed to work out Salah has only a left foot.

I'd just commented that the referee was giving us nothing when we got the penalty. Yeah, he did have his hand in his back and that Calvert-Lewin went down convincingly but a soft penalty and it will be interesting to see what three former players nobody has ever heard of make of that!

I just hope that is not what we have to look forward to every week.

Merry Christmas, Jamie lad! Love it!

We got the benefit of the doubt tonight, and although I thought it was 100% stupid defending, and Calvert-Lewin was blatantly pushed, I would love to see the indirect free kick brought back into play for such offences in football.

Look at Stoke the other week against Liverpool? A certain goal was stopped because of a blatant foul, but because it was just outside the box, they only got a free-kick, whilst there was pretty much little danger today, until Lovren lost his composure!

Bringing back the indirect free kick, might also help to eradicate a lot of diving?

It's really important we beat the Geordies now and put proper daylight between us and those in the dogfight.

We're in the very very early stages of a resurrection/recovery, call it what you will, and to deny one of the form teams in the league a win, let alone a drubbing, is a positive.

Yes, we were poor, yes we were unadventurous, but we did what we had to do, and there've been too many times when we haven't got anywhere near doing that.

At present I think it's all about points and confidence. The time for going toe to toe with the top four/six is not now, but that time will come. I know I'd rather have a point, having played like that, than get battered.

Do I think Allardyce intends to play this way all the time? Course not, and those who are saying "This is what I feared" need to put things into context.

They're gutted, that's enough for me for today!!

We have been crying out for discipline and organisation since Moyes left. Don't knock what has been achieved in three weeks. Williams has been panned here. In a system where everyone one knew what they were doing he's a different player. My MOTM was Holgate. Didn't notice him, well there you go then.

In today's papers Burnley's CBs are being touted for England. They are no better than ours, the difference is that they look better in a team that is organised. We had that under Moyes. He made Jags and Lescott into England players. We now have a manager who can do the same. Watch what he does for Keane and Mori on his return. (We desperately need left-sided players, and quickly.)

Apart from a shambles for fifteen minutes after half-time (largely down to Schneiderlin's lack of discipline) the lads played stuck to a solid game-plan. Got a penalty off the best pass of the game and conceded after the scorer twatted Martina across the back of his neck and pushed him in the chest as he tried to make the tackle.

Roles reversed and their Bugs Bunny of a manager would have screamed for a penalty. ( Do you think his not getting his teeth fixed, given what he earns, is a sexual thing? Just speculating.)

Choose not to and look like Bugg's Bunny. I respect your right to do so. Looking like a scut at a presser doesn't help.

Anyway backs to the wall today but got a result, we will get better, whereas they have reached their peak, roll on the cup game.

Watching this game, and although Sigurdson, is trying like fuck, and also improving, I think it’s time he got the chance to play in a more central role. He’s not quick, but he’s got a prodigious work-rate, and I definately think the team will benefit once Sam, makes this change, especially if we can get little Lookman, involved a bit more on the left?

Couldn't believe how much possession they had throughout, but the result made up for it. I suppose we were a bit fortunate, but it's not before time.

Credit where due for Williams and Holgate, but Kenny is simply just growing in stature. Calvert Lewin gave another selfness and tireless performance and year or 2 from here, will be a very good striker. A little sad that some on here are so eager to right off a young player in the circumstances under which he is currently playing. His attitude is impeccable.

Not pretty, but definitely needed. It was a penalty, all day long and Lovren made a mistake. Its very easy to put a player on the floor, when they are moving at speed and off balance.

What is disappointing is listening to the so-called media 'blues' of Phil Neville and Roberto Martinez putting the boot in as so called pundits. they should both be ashamed of themselves. Martinez is truly an imposter and I sincerely hope we destroy his World Cup pretensions.

I really don't give a shit about the performance, in lots of ways it makes the result all the more satisfying. The RS from fans through to pundits really do look like complete bell ends now.

Looking forward to Christmas actually, Carragher you knob.

In any event, as Lyndon says in his report, we ceded possession to them. In other words, that was our tactic and it worked.

One day, perhaps one of those genius pundits could outline the exact point where "Minimal" becomes "Significant", and how we can all recognize it. The FA can't do it, so have hidden behind a panel to sidestep the can of worms they've opened, since the actual definition in the FA's own rules is simply "Contact".

Does there fuckin' heads in.

Back to the game. We must be the weakest team in the league physically.
Knocked off the ball consistently, a few exceptions.

To use a coaches terminology.
We need a cunt in midfield.

Our tactics just about worked today and for once, Sidewayserlin actually did okay. That kid Davis, though, should be playing in the Championship and nowhere near our first team for a long time. I have no idea why he is so highly rated, other than he is a born-and-bred Blue.

Hopefully we'll have Barkley, Bolasie and Coleman back for the return fixture (plus a proper striker) and maybe next time we'll be able to give them something to think about defensively.

I've said for years that if we can take 2 points or more a season from that shower we'd be a top six side year in year out. We have to get over the psychological barriers of playing Liverpool, so today was a massive result.

Sam set the team up just to spoil and that's the best we can hope for at the moment. Klopp got his selection wrong, maybe through arrogance or maybe incompetence, who knows, but his lauded charges huffed and puffed (a blew some guilt edged chances) but in the end the points are shared.

(Spoiler Alert. It was Wayne Clarke)

The penalty was a penalty - you can tell if you apply the 'top 4 test'. Would it have excited any comment if given to a top four club? None at all.

Those saying Martina is our worst ever player are so wide of the mark. We had a whole team of players worse than Martina in 1998. Marc Hottiger for goodness sake.

The tactics were relatively spot on for today i'd say and the defense performed admirably for the most part but the problem was that we were absolutely woeful in possession. I think in the first half our passing completion was something like 38%! There's not much your tactics can do for you offensively if only one in three passes is finding a teamate.

I was not one who wanted Big Sam but I think today showed what he can and hopefully has brought to us which was much needed and that is organisation and defensive solidity. Perhaps we were a tad lucky at times but despite their vast amount of posession they actually created very few clear cut chances and their only goal was a top class piece of brilliance from the form player in the league.

The question will be whether he can make us more of a threat offensively. We got out of jail today with the penalty a bit and I think he sounded frustrated in his interview that we had been so poor on the ball. We created nothing bar the penalty.

But the foundation was always going to be the defense. We looked solid enough today against one of the best attacks in Europe and that is a great place to build from. So although we were unbelievably poor with the ball I feel happy that Sam and his team have tackled their first task with some success and we have seen in the games against West Ham and Huddersfield that we do have goals in this side potentially. We can be much better on the ball than we were today and that will be the next task for Allardyce and his team.

A win against Newcastle on Wednesday would be a perfect next step and would go some way to putting some distance between us and the relegation battle. Fingers crossed we can maintain the solidity of tonight and add a bit more coherence and composure on the ball to the mix.

COYB.

Hopefully we will continue to improve and have one or two injured players back plus maybe even a new face. I am quite looking forward to that game now.

I would like to make three points:

Point [1] For weeks now I've been reading on various threads, how bad we are as a team, and that some people were going to hide behind the couch, because they were expecting a drubbing, so I suggest, that their expectations never materialised. As some have said [and I fully agree with them] that, had this fixture taken place four or five weeks ago, we may well have been thrashed.

I have both played and watched, football long enough to know that sometimes you don't get what you deserve and at other times you don't deserve what you get.

Point [2] I also believe that the football supporter wants his team to play first class football, and reap the rewards, but if the first class football is not possible, he'll settle for reaping the rewards. Today appears to be one where we should be accepting the latter.

Point [3] I don't believe that we should be castigating individuals, we all know that we are some way behind Liverpool, and in my opinion to come away with a draw is a step in the right direction.

The nice thing about today is that they will be fuming (see Klopp interview) at the ref; how EFC ‘parked the bus' etc. Anything except their own poor conversion of 70+% possession into shots on-target (3) and goals (1).

Sam had a plan today and succeeded in frustrating them. It's not his team but he's making a far better fist of things than his two predecessors (excluding DU). Rome was not built in a day but I see far more positives than negatives. Under Martinez / Koeman, we would have been thrashed today.

When Martinez was appointed – harping on about ‘philosophy' – I remember posting on here that being able to adapt / mix things up to win was more important.

I think Sam Allardyce will be more effective at that and will get far more out of this squad of players than many might think he is capable of.

Koeman's legacy left only one useful resource. When RS moan and complain tomorrow, just adopt your best Dutch accent and shrug, “Thatsh football!”

Appalling tactics and football that would be disgraceful at Toolstation League level. I see many on here are prepared to say the end justified the means, so I'm glad they are happy. But playing that shit will not satisfy Evertonians for long, believe me.

God help you all!

Thick and thin and all that... Kalispera!

I can only praise him so far. Come the cup game, we might have one or two signings and a couple of injured players back. Until then, I'll take every point we can get regardless of how it's earned This stigma attached to the man is fucking pathetic.

Niasse and Calvert-Lewin couldn't hold up the ball in their final third once that I can remember. The balls played down the flanks to both these players were also awful. We could have easily threatened more, it was the quality up front that killed us – there was none.

No, it's the summer transfer policy that's going to take years to put right. Guardiola with Mourinho as his assistant couldn't shape this team into anything resembling a top 6 side.

We are still only a couple of defeats away from the bottom three after spending a fortune on mediocrity. Frustrate the so-called Big Six instead of rolling over is what is needed for now. We don't have the players we thought we had to go toe to toe, so expect a few more games like this.

Backs to the wall for most of the game; in the end, we scored one and they scored one with neither keeper needing to make a save other than the goals.

At the moment, we're recovering from Storm Koeman. At the stage we're at, we can't go and play expansive football there and win well but we can use tactics that make us hard to beat.

Allardyce himself said he was disappointed in our play. I'm prepared to wait and see.

Sammy Lee and Big Sam know how to drill a side to defend properly, and that is exactly what we needed – we've been a shitshow all season, rudderless with no set plan, but now we have one and it shows.

Liverpool are one of two free-scoring sides in the Premier League, and we limited them to 3 shots on target in the whole game – that's what we needed to achieve and we executed it pretty well in my view.

Yes, it was ugly at times, but I would much rather go there and pick up an ugly draw than go there wide open like in recent seasons and get turned over 3/4/5-0.

I said it pre-match on the forum that I'd be happy with a draw, and so it turned out. Yeah, we should have kept the ball better when we had the chance to do so, but ultimately it didn't matter – I also just watched Klippety Klopp's interview and he was fucking furious! Ahahaha!

We've been playing with half a team missing all season. We currently use two right-backs as our full-backs and a kid playing alongside Williams who has only a handful of appearances in his natural position. Himself being more used to operating as a right-back (ironically) when in our first team.

We are without our first choice full-backs in Baines and Coleman. Our best Number 10 in many people's eyes, in Barkley, and our best winger and former record transfer in Bolasie. Throw in Funes Mori and McCarthy and there's half a team of first team starters. That's without the small matter of our board not signing anyone to replace our former top scorer.

It was a valiant effort and well-deserved point today against one of the form attacks in the whole of Europe. I can't believe that they're moaning about a couple of players being rested given what we could put out.

The comments of the appalling Martinez are meaningless. I called him the worst coach ever to be paid as a professional, and I stand by that. I called him a second rate money grabber as well. He turns my guts.

Lucky? We always need luck in life, and especially football; today, the foe were high on their invincibility theory...
As for EFC, we can't live in the past, the past builds the future aspirations, which for generations (and myself included) has failed systematically to deliver.

Onto the Barcodes.

Well done, The Sams, dire straits was the whole game for me, but at least we didn't capitulate. And we got a point via the best pass of the game by Rooney.

Lessons learnt! Let's see on Wednesday v sThe Barcodes. Hope Eternal!

After Klopp's rant on Sky – never call us bitter blues again!!!

I was wandering around the house like an expectant Father, couldn't sit down, up every two minutes so much so that at two o'clock, I decided to go and do my Christmas shopping.

I deliberately didn't take my phone as I knew I would be looking at it every two minutes; didn't have the radio on in the car, kept having to stop myself trying to put in on and tune into Radio Merseyside; eventually trying to find the right Peppa Pig toy took my mind off things...

Got back home just after 4 o'clock, turned my phone on... Beep Beep, didn't really want to look, only looking through one eye...

I will take a draw at that shithole anytime and judging by the reports it was a soft penalty... good; how many have the RS had over the years and Allardyce wound up Klipperty, good!

We really need to start buying a much higher level of player than the journeymen that we have in our team.

Hopefully this mentality will change in the next few years. We can be proud tonight.

At the end of the day, playing the RS is just another game in a long season.

They're irritated by us tonight, and that'll do for me.

We did not set our stall out like that against Huddersfield or West Ham and I do not expect to see us set our stall out like that against the Geordies or Swans. Allardyce has landed his best job to date potentially with resources he has only dreamed of previously. He is not totally stupid and will be well aware of our fans' expectations, and that expectations at our club are not the same as Bolton, Palace, Sunderland etc. Newcastle maybe but that club is currently a cesspit compared to ours.

We have moved away from that threatening position in the league, will be enjoying the psychological benefit of moving up the table – enhanced by today's result – and I genuinely expect to see a more entertaining brand of football than most are expecting under Sam.

I was quite strongly against his appointment until the alternatives dried up but now he is with us and I am behind him. I do not expect to see him remain for the long haul, whatever his results show, if someone like Simeone comes available and I think Sam anticipates stepping aside amicably in that event. At the end of the day, he is not a youngster (not a geriatric either) and he has already announced his retirement once.

I am quite sure he will remain close to football but whether he relishes the long-term prospect of front-line managing for many more years remains to be seen.

But to cut back to the chase – Sure, if we see today's type of football enduring consistently over the coming weeks, I too will be sorely disappointed, but gentlemen, I do believe your fears and rantings this evening are demonstrating unnecessary concerns.

Sitting deep was the only answer and the end – the "result" that we got – justified the means.

Maybe when we can go toe-to-toe with them in terms of attacking assets we can do it your way, but until we possess such players we can only play to what limited strengths we have.

Contrast that with Dann who was completely sucked in to stepping into Niasse's path and the contact was only minimised by the forward taking spectacular evasive action.

Both pens, both ‘soft' (with defender making a poor choice of movement and attacker not making an effort to stay upright) but it seems (rightfully) that Calvert-Lewin will avoid public denigration for this one.

Anyone know how our injured players are progressing? I had hoped to see Ross Barkley on the pitch before the January transfer window in an attempt to win him over, and the likes of Bolasie, Coleman and Funes Mori simply to rebalance the team.

It didn't happen so we have to be happier than them -– plus we stopped one of the most potent attacks in Europe from having any meaningful attempts on our goal and that's a big 'fuck you' to all RS – ha! :)

Agree with Kevin, it was the complete lack of quality to begin with, and Rooney was also getting destroyed because of his lack of pace out wide. He must have been fuming having a player he would have tied in knots, not to long ago having a field day against him, but when the legs have gone a bit, a player of his quality needs a bit of protecting.

Robertson, wasn't the same player after the break, because Lennon, has got more pace, but that is the thing which catches most teams out against Liverpool (IMO). They play with so much intensity, that if you haven't got enough quality on the ball, then they keep getting it back, and eventually wear you out?

We should be better for the experience in the cup, I hope so anyway, because if you can just keep the ball a bit better against Liverpool, (something we can't do worse) you will always get chances, and after getting under their skin for Christmas, it would be fucking lovely to finish them off in the new year!

Two fuckin pens in 80 years, John G? Surely Even them phoney bastards couldn't accept it was a dive!

I agree that the manager doesn't have a lot of options at the moment, but let's not castigate people for pointing out that our performance today was far from revolutionary.

In further pursuit of balance, does no-one else think that Cuco Martina defended Mane's attempt to score pretty well, not giving up the easy square pass initially and then actually managing to pressurise the shot once the attacker had actually decided to have a go himself?

Well done to Sam and the boys. We can all go to work and discuss the game instead of being embarrassed by a hiding. Anyone who doesn't get this has no idea about football in this city.

It wasn't the greatest viewing, but it was ultimately effective and we got a point out of a game we would have (a few weeks ago) otherwise lost easily.

Allardyce said he needed to make us hard to beat, and he's doing that already. Baby steps.

I was ashamed of teams wandering through our defence like they were a bunch of school girls.

If it means we have gone from the easy-beats to the hard-to-beats in the course of 3 games I see that as huge step in the right direction.

Watching an Everton manager being interviewed at Anfield after a game with a smile from ear to ear warmed my heart but that does not compare with the warm glow I feel thinking about how miserable all the RS including Carragher are feeling this morning.

To reiterate Darren Hind's pre-match comment – they don't like it up them, those RS.

Up the Blues.

That Klopp by the way is one moaning piece of shit. No mention at all of the horrendous tackle on Martina in the first half. I also thought the foul they were awarded that led to their goal wasn't even a foul. I will have to wait to see it again though.

It was a definite penalty for us, as Calvert-Lewin was definitely pushed. All-in-all, a good point, when most thought we'd get hammered.

The penalty I've watched a dozen times and what is everyone going on about, from Klopp downwards. Rooney pings a great pass for Calvert-Lewinto run onto, he beats Lovren in a foot race, who pushes him in the back because he's been beaten by the quality of the pass and his own defensive limitations.

Did he attempt to play the ball? Was it shoulder to shoulder? It's a no to both questions – stonewall penalty.

It's horrible to see us play like that, but not as horrible as Southampton, Arsenal etc etc.

Anyway, what matters is that we've really pissed off the RS and Allardyce's comment that we "mastered" them was hilarious. The other thing I loved was seeing him swearing and screaming at our players. Just what the doctor ordered.

Ale kicking in and hopefully the club can continue the massive, 2-year possibly more, work in progress.

The match was shown around the world and they are bringing the game into disrepute. But this is Liverpool, and they are beyond reproach.

As other contributors have also stated, they'll be queueing on MotD2 to have a go at Calvert-Lewin for diving, and no doubt suggesting he should face a ban.

Well done Everton! You spoilt the RS party! Get in!

Seeing their odious coach, players and supporters feeling hard done by is pretty good. They really are a loathsome bunch of specimens. "This is Anfield" – how utterly sad is that fucking sign.

I recall a couple of other instances in the past. One interview where he wound up Mourinho who had moaned about one of Sam's sides parking the bus. After slamming Mourinho's comments as sour grapes Sam ended with a grin and 'Hard luck Jose'

The other one was when standing on the touchline and an opposition player went down under an innocuous challenge right under Sam's nose. The player started writhing about in feigned agony. Sam went into tucks of laughter, ridiculing the play-acting.

I'm not saying this makes him a great manager but they are traits I like about him.

Allardyce himself said before the game that they knew Liverpool would have much more possession than us, and so it proved. But we hung in there, despite their domination, and despite the fact we were limited in our team selection in certain areas.

The only downside for me,and also Big Sam I strongly suspect,was that when we did have the ball we just did not retain it for any length of time. But as I said, we hung in there,which I don't think we'd have done a couple of weeks back.

And what's not to like about giving the most arrogant club in Britain a nice kick in the balls just before Xmas??!!

I had an animated discussion after an hour today with a fan in front of me who said he would prefer us to have a go and lose 5-0 than play the way we were. Well, if that is how some people feel, we can welcome back Martinez and Koeman who were experts in leaving things open at the back and losing heavily.

I thought all our back line did well today and that includes Martina. Salah, reputed to be the best signing of the summer, has scored 19 goals this season but Martina dealt as well with his threat as any defender has so far.

Obviously this was not the perfect performance with players including Davies and Kenny being caught in possession in their own half, but Sam has made a good start. We can now perhaps start thinking about winning an away game for the first time in nearly 11 months. That was Koeman's legacy.

As for the penalty, all the Sky pundits agreed that it should have been given and for my money the view from behind shows that Calvert-Lewin did not simply drop to the ground when touched but there was enough lateral movement to show that there was a clear shove.

The result and the sour grapes after made for a very pleasing afternoon.

Big point I'd like to make is people moaning about Davies, have a day off ffs, he's bound to have a dip in form and at his age he won't be the finished player so give him time to grow.

The same fools moaned about how stones Barkley and Lukaku weren't good enough to play for us. That probably helped them with thinking they'd be better away from EFC, it's embarrassing.

I feel the stick given to Martina is down to historical repetition rather than today's display. He played out of position against one of the leagues in-form players. Definitely shielded the square ball well enough to convince Mane to shoot.

Have to say, Jonjoe was outstanding today and right up for it. Dominic fought a hard and lonely battle too. Big marks for both of them in my opinion.

Sammy Lee used more energy than any player today . Constantly commanding and cajoling.

Watched the two Sams at the final whistle. Little Sam was roaring his box towards us and Big Sam shook a few hands walked about 15 yards onto the pitch and gave a slow, deliberate arm punch to the away end too.

This management team, for their faults, have a plan, and what seems a good one at that. Passionate winners. That's a good start, now on to the northeast, Wednesday. We all know about the relationship Sam has with Rafa. All these sub plots. Kenwright will be taking notes.

Kenny was the stand out but also I thought Holgate was very solid and definitely better as a centre half, although I have seen some knocking of Williams I thought he was very solid and looks a lot better under Big Sam.

Martina struggles in the big games and clearly we need to invest in a quality left back. Gana is crucial at the moment but unfortunately Tom is below par and I am unconvinced with Schneiderlin who has had a poor season.

Wayne was lost on the flank but more key in the middle. Calvert-Lewin struggles to retain ball but full credit for the effort and the one good ball to him he got a deserved penalty.

From August to most of November was a shock and horrendous but at least now we looking organised and on the way up. COYB

And Rooney, bit of a lad.

How quickly Sam has 11 players playing as a unit. I could see more of a cohesive defensive unit than previously, keeping their shape much more.

While our football might not have been good, at no time today did we look like we were going to be cut to shreds, and that's some feat by big Sam considering what we have witnessed for most of this season against much weaker opposition than today.

As for the post-match interviews, that just made today's result even sweeter. I shall go to sleep tonight with a big grin on my face, the same grin that will greet every Liverpool supporter I bump into over the coming weeks.

Goodnight fellow Blues... Santa has come early... and I feel another present coming our way in the cup come January.

Best bit of the afternoon was some of the reds players having a minor scuffle after the final whistle.

Our squad is NOT significantly inferior to theirs. We just need a system that works, to make best use of the available players. We might now have some of that under Sam. We might not, but only time will tell, and so far we've at least made some progress. Contrary to what some say on here (which I take as natural pessimism of Evertonians who have got used to disappointment), we can challenge the top-6. So long as the will and effort are there, to make best use of the skills we have.

Today was a big hurdle overcome, which will give massive impetus and confidence for coming games. Indeed, after today, I think it's safe to say that we now can't wait for the next game, instead of dreading it as we did previously. One thing's for sure, Liverpool and Herr Klopp will not be relishing the next encounter.

The ill-judged appointment of the School of Sams has done for the School of Science in less than a fortnight!

We are a few weeks from a year without an away win. We don't have a player of note in the whole squad, just average, workmanlike players who are mid-table in talent. Poor buys worth around £70m can't even get in before the kids. Still rubbing my eyes in disbelief at your post, mate. But good on yer for keeping the faith.

We therefore have to make do with what we have for now. Under Martinez, Koeman, or I'm sorry to say, Unsworth, we would have lost that game by a cricket score, but Allardyce has got us organised, which everyone was bleating about before, but now it's happened people are still bleating.

Had we attacked the RS we would have been hammered. In time and with better players coming in, I'm hoping that that will change and we can go to places like Anfield and take the game to them, but with the squad we've got that would be suicide.

I stayed to the bitter end when we lost 4-0 there and I know what I'd prefer.

You don't go from being crap to world beaters over night – give them and Sam a break.

LOL.

(Yes, Sam has a comb, a suit and has had a wash in the past week.)

I agree with you. My only joy is that we somehow got a point and having to watch Klopp lose his mind. But the reality is that football is about much more than just defending for 90 minutes.

It is one thing to accept that the home team will come out with more fire and have the better of the game. But 20% possession and a complete lack of any attacking gameplay is nowhere near good enough.

I think Guardiola has proven that you can win in England while playing beautiful attacking football, the Barcelona way, which so many said would fail. We do not and should not have to accept playing the way we did today. 99 Times our of 100 it would have ended with a big loss. Today just happened to be that 1 out of 100. But it was a solid game defensively and again, I just can’t get enough of Klopp’s meltdown.

If Salah's goal wasn't class, no goal is. A club running rampant over opponents several games in a row, had to depend on that goal to get a point.

More important, Klopp was out-managed.

Some astute buys in January can change things quickly. We have younger players maturing before our eyes. There's reason for hope.

Don't get me wrong Kevin, I'm not wearing blue tinted specs, I've had too much disappointment and realism instilled into me for that. I'm looking at the actual squads, the individual players. Analogously to the way I've analysed the actual league results over the last 15 years, the figures for which you labelled 'semantics' even though they are hard facts.

It's not a case of keeping 'the faith', not for me, because I never trust faith by itself. It's a case of analysis. And I said before this game, that Liverpool (for example) are fragile as soon as things go a bit out of kilter,mand can hit bad form easily. Just as easily, we can hit good form.

It's a case of realism, not pessimism or false positives.

20% possession = 2 shots on target Everton

So, Phil Walling – Allardyce (who I didn't want) has not only improved the defensive set-up, he has also improved the attack – the figures are indisputable! For Christ's sake, take a cooling powder will you.

Beforehand, we were leaking like a sieve. He is doing the basics, and sorting it out from the back first. If you can't see progress, particularly in the context of some of the abject results at Anfield over the past few years, then you are sadly deluded.

You're spot on, it was a class finish, but Martina; dear oh dear...

Sam has got Williams and Holgate looking 5 times better than just a few weeks ago.

I have seen us go to Anfield in the past with sides on a good run, above them in the league and still manage to lose despite plenty of the ball, so I will take today's performance merrilly.

When we play the buggers at Goodison, the onus will be on us to attack and they will exploit all of the space and probably give us a pasting, so all of you imploring more attack from this bunch should just be thankful that this time we ground it out.

Not in the results it hasn't! And if you mean performance, not results, delusional to expect Sam to go to Anfield after a couple of games with his new charges and go all gung-ho. Did you really expect that?! No, you didn't.

And you're making a judgement after so few games?

That display was not worthy of being in the name of Everton. Standards of acceptance have sunk to a new low on this day!

Shame on all of you claiming 'needs must' – it was no more than kick and rush, often without the rush, particularly from that apology for a left-wing back Sam likes so much!

Compare goals and points before and since Sam appointed.

And good to see Murphy and Shearer on MotD both agreeing that was a clear-cut pen and Klopp got it all wrong in selection. So much for media bias.

Man Utd parked the bus at Anfield earlier in the season with millions spent on the team and didn't take any criticism. It was a Jose master class!

Looking back on the highlights, Martina should take credit for the way he defended the Mane chance, he has improved over the last few games playing out of position – though I don't think Baines has much to worry about getting back into the team.

Yeah it wasn't pretty but at one nil we were one chance away from getting a point and that's how it proved to be.

We dug in when we needed but the 80% possession to them look worse than it actually was. The first half especially they were allowed to pass it amongst themselves at the back and into the centre of midfield. We let them do that rather than let them get it to the wings. That's why some stats are shite.

As for Klopp, what a tit. They dropped two points because we played with 2 banks of 4 throughout and did what we were asked to by Sam and he picked the wrong team.

Shots on target = Total 58% of 19 total shots = 11 on target

Romelu Lukaku - 180 mins per goal - 8 premier league goals

Shots on target = Total 58% of 43 total shots = 25 on target

Everything I wanted to say about today's game has sort of been said on here.

Just thought I'd post the above stats. Not making a statement, interesting reading though!

Now to end that winless away record since January at Newcastle on Wednesday.

It was never going to be pretty if we were going to get anything out of this game. Our players are good players but are not of top 6 quality, it's obvious, it has been for the last 6+ years with the odd exception.

If we try to play open football against the usual top 6 sides we get thumped more often than not. It's playing into their hands.

All the neutral fans were convinced we were going to get murdered; a draw is more than I was expecting, I can tell you.

Klopp went ballistic! Ha!

Perhaps he's feeling a little bitter?

Today it was again shown that without the extra left-back, centre-back and centre-forward Koeman said would be signed and needed in summer we are going nowhere in terms of top four, or even six, aspirations.

I would like the club to explain why such needs were allowed to become manifest, bolloxing our season before it really started, at least by making a statement by way of signing/s in the January transfer window.

That said, I don't want them to jizz £gazillions on some lazy, self-adoring (the posh term for a wanker) prat/s like Lukaku who is now showing for weeks on end at United that the only thing for which he can be relied upon when the wheels start wobbling is to pretty much disappear, leaving it up to others to put right.

I think that Walsh could of and should of been concentrating on buying first teamers first and foremost. How many U-23s did we buy?

Anyway... let's see how better Big Sam (I should change that to Sam Allardyce) gets us playing in the coming weeks.

I feel the pressure got to Davies who had an off game and was a major culprit who was rightly withdrawn at halftime but the worst player on the pitch was easily Martina. I don't usually like to slam our own but he's just so frustratingly bad!

If you were Garbutt or any other left-back at the club, you've gotta fancy yourself to be better than Martina. It doesn't seem to be a lack of effort he just looks like he's totally out of his depth. I wish they'd just stop trying him and give someone else a go! Shame Robinson is out on lone.

Well done Everton – it's more impressive to get a result with such a poor performer in the team.

Exactly.

The tackle on Martina was shin to knee high and didn’t even draw a card.

The foul just prior to their goal was not a foul (for me anyway...).

Jurgen conveniently left that part of his narrative out.

Because we didn't get beat 3-0, 3-0, 4-0, 3-0, 5-2, 3-0, 5-1, 4-1, like the results here from the last couple of months.

I will take a 1-1 at Anfield as a start all day long. Horses for courses as they say.

Sam is gradually restoring some pride and team spirit to the club but when interviewed he said the same as us that he was pleased with the effort but not the lack of ball control and incisiveness.

He also said with Liverpool's poor defence he wanted our guys to attack more and that is something he will be working on with them.

We are now starting to lay some foundation for a solid side and the football will come.

I thought the players worked hard and held their defensive shape really well. Rooney was outstanding as captain, the way he marshalled the team. He also created the goal with a sublime pass.

We are still recovering from Koeman's nonsense and the injuries. Let's get Bolasie, Barkley and Coleman back and get a striker. I'll take Aubamayeng but why should he come here? I'm hoping for Benteke actually. Maybe Walcott too.

If the owners can afford and attract 3 special players we might be able to talk with confidence about being a genuine top 6/top 4 side.

For now I can only see us going one way and it isn't down. Players confidence must be on the up too, we are getting our mojo back.

Are you honestly saying that you preferred the performance against Southampton? What about the Atalanta game?

Great to rob them of 2 points and it'll feel like a defeat for them. Klopp losing it was superb. We weren't great in possession and I got sick of Pickford kicking the ball out or through to Mignolet. At least we showed some character and our position in the table is looking a lot healthier. Well done Blues.

Perhaps the answer to your poser is that Sam and his acolytes are cut from the same stone as his predecessors and actually coach players to play crap football.

Apparently, when he wasn't at the quacks he and his merry men were drilling massively expensive stars to 'get shut of it anywhere'. How well they stuck to their task, gawd help us!

One positive from yesterday's performance is we know even more so what we need. That was the kind of set-up that told a lot about the team.

We can't go back there with the same 11 and expect a good result again. It's vital we improve in January.

We used to hail Moyes and to a lesser extent Royle when they came away from there with a point by frustrating the life out of them, and that's what we did yesterday. They might have had all the ball but Pickford hardly had a save to make.

Hope it's more of the same in the cup, that'll get right up their noses. Enjoy your stay in Cyprus We really wont miss you.

Rooney and Davies have swapped positions, with Rooney playing the deeper of the two. The advanced roll is not Davies's proper position.

Exactly what I thought when I saw these players go down so easily and so dramatically. Makes you wonder!

As abhorrent as it is, it's not the simulation itself, but when the simulation results in a penalty and no action is taken, that the protests should start.

Lots to consider for the future. I had great doubts about Sam but I suspect he may surprise us.

No two ways we have been left in the shit by Koeman. There is a lot of work to be done. Things are coming along. The gulf in the Premier League is now a yawning chasm. Everyone including ourselves is playing catch up.

The squad is still unbalanced but in those five minutes they are more organised than they have been all season. As another poster said ''Give him a bleedin' chance''. We will get better under Sam and his coaches.

In other words, Allardyce rates Tom very highly; support him for god's sake.

Pressure has been placed on him from the start of the season. He's a young kid learning his trade. Have no fears – he will come good.

Your point about why he plays is very valid as far as Schneiderlin goes but there are other things that can be done to rest him. Like the half-time changes for instance.

Given we have a jigsaw masquerading as a team, players injured and out of form, we did well yesterday. End of.

Depending on your perspective, it was a dreadful attacking performance or a great defensive one; either way, it was needed at this point in time. This game is about winning, you can be fantastic when you are safe.

He got the team organised and they fought for each other; all they need to do now is learn how to play together!

Three weeks ago, a lot of posters on TW were panicking... So we stop shipping goals and it still ain't good enough...!?

Despair.

Phil (#246), you are clueless and don't understand football obviously you have never coached a team. The first thing any new manager had to do with us is get us to defend as a team and be organized.

We have conceded one goal in the last 4 games. Position in the league 17th to 10th, the players are fighting and are harder to beat. We have to get the basics first before anything else.

In fairness like most people I thought we were woeful in possession, but the job got done. We were conceding for fun a fortnight ago, we've conceded one in four now and scored 10 in the process.

Whatever your thoughts on Allardyce he has completed his first task quite solidly. There are those who will say his style of football is shit and they may not be wrong but, then again, so has EFC's for a good portion of the last 30 years and we've payed some managers tens of millions already for that privilege.

Oh, I'm talking about José Mourinho by the way.

The acid test will be the Cup game and in the weeks ahead the team will hopefully be fitter, more confident and well drilled. With the addition of returning players from injury and the possibility of a more prolific striker being brought in there will never be a better time in our recent history to go there and get under their skin and come away with a victory.

Two weeks ago we would have had a hiding, whereas now Pickford hardly had a save to make.

Played for 0-0. Got 1-1. Not pretty but so much better than the beatings of the previous few years.

Well done, Sam!

Coco was often in the right place and therefore partly in the way, but repeatedly not strong enough – resulting in his attempts at tackling amounting to an assist to the RS

On one occasion he bottled it and Williams actually told him to grow a pair

I was preying they'd take him off and was surprised to see Jags replace Rooney

Cheers

Yes, it would be wonderful if we could play them the same way Man City does. And if, at some point in the future, we stock our squad with Champion's League caliber players, we can do so. Until then, we have to play with the players on the squad.

Great job by Big Sam and the lads. Three weeks ago, no-one thought we were going to grab a point at Anfield. Assuming we can grab at least 4 from the next two matches, we'll be in a real solid place.

Someone mentioned we had half a team of lads out there. Yes, it was dire, but we've now won three and drawn one scoring quite a few goals while conceding only one.

I think Allardyce and his excellent backroom team could do well if given the financial backing ,but we all know that's unlikely to happen, so Mourinho will continue to be Mourinho and I guess Sam will just carry on being Sam.