4.2.09  FA CUP ROUND 4 / REPLAY
Everton 1 Liverpool 0  (www.lfc.tv)


Liverpool are out of this season's FA Cup after crashing to a 1-0 extra-time defeat against Everton at Goodison Park.

The Reds endured a torrid evening against the Blues and went down to a Dan Gosling goal on 118 minutes after Lucas Leiva was sent off for a second bookable offence in normal time.

Having drawn the first two matches of this Merseyside derby trilogy, Rafael Benitez's men went into the final clash against their neighbours with the rallying cry of skipper Steven Gerrard ringing in their ears.

The inspirational number eight urged his teammates to build on the momentum of Sunday's last-gasp win over Chelsea by securing a place in the fifth round; but it became somewhat of an uphill battle as the night wore on, especially when the club captain was forced off with a hamstring strain after just 16 minutes.

It was a huge blow for the Reds who had started brightly, with Xabi Alonso fizzing a 25 yarder just wide on eight minutes.

Rafael Benitez's men were the more dominant in possession but the enforced substitution of Gerrard for Yossi Benayoun seemed to disrupt their flow and from that moment on the game developed into a tough battle.

The Blues knew their best hope would once again come from set pieces and their first sight of Pepe Reina's goal came when Leon Osman volleyed well over after latching on to an up-and-under from a half-cleared corner.

It seemed to boost the home side's confidence and they nearly grabbed the opener just shy of the half hour mark, but Tim Cahill mis-kicked following an almighty scramble in the visitor's penalty area.

Unfortunately, that was as good as it got in the first 45, with any trace of goalmouth incident overshadowed by the type of full-blooded challenges that had been something of a missing ingredient in our previous meetings this campaign.

The Reds tried to inject some urgency into their play in the second period but as the half wore on the game remained tense and scrappy.
It looked more and more likely that one goal was going to settle it and the Reds nearly got it on 61 minutes. Alonso picked the ball up midway through the Everton half before delivering a sublime defence-splitting pass for Albert Riera whose low shot was brilliantly blocked by Howard.

Everton responded and 10 minutes later Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill combined to tee up Osman but the midfielder saw his drilled strike crash back off the near post.

With extra-time looming Liverpool suffered another huge body blow when they were reduced to 10-men after Lucas was handed a second yellow card for a foul on Joleon Lescott.

It instantly handed the advantage to David Moyes' side and as the game moved beyond the 90 minutes they took the game to the Reds with Cahill inches away from turning home Leighton Baines' inviting cross.

Osman then fired straight at Reina before the Spaniard pulled off a stunning double stop to keep out both the midfielder and substitute Gosling.

It was all Everton at this point and from the resulting corner Cahill flashed a flick header just past the far post. Arteta then saw a deflected free-kick arrow just wide as the Blues ended the first period of extra-time well on top.

Liverpool's best hope appeared to be a penalty shoot-out but just when that looked likely Everton put together the move that would win them the match.

Substitute Andy Van Der Meyde picked up the ball on the right and sent a cross to the far post that Gosling took down, and after initially hesitating, he curled an effort beyond Reina into the far post to sink the Reds.
 

Teams:

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Osman, Fellaini (Gosling 52), Neville (Van der Meyde 106), Arteta, Pienaar (Rodwell 60, Cahill.

Subs Not Used: Nash, Yobo, Castillo, Jacobsen.
Booked: Cahill, Pienaar, Neville, Arteta, Hibbert.
Goals: Gosling 118.

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Dossena, Kuyt, Alonso, Gerrard (Benayoun 16), Leiva Lucas, Riera (Mascherano 80), Torres (Babel 101).

Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Hyypia, Agger, El Zhar.
Sent Off: Leiva Lucas (76).
Booked: Leiva Lucas, Alonso.

After Extra Time

Att: 37,918
Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).