Johnson doubles up to leave Reds feeling blue

Last updated : 10 September 2006 By The Observer

It is hard to recall a team so happy in victory. David Moyes, who cares passionately about this club, could not stop punching the air, slapping backs, waving to the crowd and generally looking like a 10-year-old who had just seen his first whale. He has forged a team of such unity, they have gelled into a unit greater than their individual talents might suggest - with a couple of obvious exceptions, the most notable being Andy Johnson.

He just gets better. As does Tim Cahill, who played just behind him, and, with Lee Carsley and Mikel Arteta, had the defence turning for much of the first half and again at the end, when Liverpool were down to 10 men.

In the comic strip, Johnson could not buy a goal; in front of 40,000 of the faithful he added two to the two he had already scored for the club who paid a record £8.6million for him.

'There's a hunger there,' Moyes said. 'It's inbuilt in him, he's had to fight back in his career. Birmingham let him go. He has come to a big club from Crystal Palace and he is relishing it. If he keeps scoring like he has done the past three or four years, that will be good enough for us.'

Bookmakers had judged this to be another Mersey clash of Little and Large. Some had Liverpool, with their millions and their pedigree, their early-season defeat of Chelsea and their astute manager, odds-on favourites. They did not appear so when Everton started tearing their defence to pieces in the first half.

In this 204th league meeting between the clubs (or as Sky, paymasters of the Premiership, have rewritten it with Stalinesque elan, the 28th), there was more electricity than normal.

Whatever the odds-makers thought, Everton had the momentum going into this game. They had beaten Tottenham at White Hart Lane for the first time in 21 years a fortnight ago - with 10 men - and carried that enthusiasm with them. They are a club at ease with themselves.

Moyes is not getting carried away, though. 'We have not changed the team that significantly. We can only do a little bit at a time and do the best we can.'

Their best here was too good for Liverpool. It was Everton's biggest win over them since they won 4-0 at Anfield in 1964; it was also their biggest home win since 1909. Derbies are all about such arcane facts and Evertonians dwelt on them with glee.

Cahill kept up a fine record with his third goal in as many derbies, but the first time as a winner. He was inspirational playing just behind Johnson, whose pace had the injury-suspect Jamie Carragher turning with apprehension.

Cahill opened proceedings midway through the first half. Johnson turned Fabio Aurelio to open up the Liverpool defence, Carsley nodded on a cross and Leon Osman tangled with Steve Finnan. The ball popped free to the Australian and he nutmegged the keeper, Jose Manuel Reina.

There was no bounce of the ball about the second goal. Carsley knocked it forward and Johnson, who glides like Paul Gascoigne in his pomp, did Carragher for pace and slid the ball home with chilling efficiency.

Later, Rafael Benitez refused to single out individuals but acknowledged team responsibility for a disappointing performance and result. They had gone to Goodison Park having won all but one of the previous 13 derbies. 'If you make mistakes in defence, you cannot attack effectively,' he said.

Yet in an effort to put more bite into Liverpool's game, he had signed Jermaine Pennant and the Dutchman Dirk Kuyt - and left them on the bench until the cause was lost.

Peter Crouch and Robbie Fowler did not click. Steven Gerrard tried his damnedest, but came close only a couple of times. When Kuyt did come on, he threatened repeatedly. That shortfall has to be down to the manager.

Liverpool were then struck by a wicked blow as they mounted a comeback near the end, John Arne Riise being carried off with a recurrence of an ankle injury - and being simultaneously booked for his injudicious tackle on Arteta.

Johnson's second goal, in the last minute, was an emphatic full-point. He had followed in, with characteristic energy, a long-range volley by Carsley, nodding in Reina's fumble. The big boys from down the road were no match for a team so obviously in synchronicity.

As a local warbler once said, money can't buy you love.