Derby victory is a vital boost ahead of busy week
HAVING beaten Everton at the weekend, it would be a major surprise, not to mention a huge disappointment, if Liverpool did not now take that all important fourth place.
A five point gap is a big advantage to have at this stage of the season and with just six games to go,
Liverpool's destiny is in their own hands, and that is all you can ever ask for.
Everyone on Merseyside was looking upon Sunday's derby as one of the most crucial fixtures between
Liverpool and Everton in years and the fact that Rafa Benitez's side took the spoils so comfortably should fill fans with great confidence for the rest of the season.
From the moment Sunday's game kicked off you could just sense that Liverpool were up for it. They came out of the blocks really quickly and that set the tone for the rest of their first half performance in which they were far and away the better side.
Pretty much every Liverpool player was snapping into tackles, working hard and looking to do something constructive with the ball whenever they were in possession.
That is the way you have to be if you want to win derby matches. You can't wait for things to happen for you. You have to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
The only disappointing thing about the first 45 minutes was that Liverpool didn't make the most of the chances they created because if they had done the game would have been over as a contest by half time.
You're never going to take every chance that comes your way in a game as high pressured as the derby, but you have to try and cash in when you are on top because if you don't you run the risk of losing the advantage when your opponents have their good spell.
In the event, it didn't really matter because Everton didn't really have a good spell. They had more of the ball in the second half but they never really looked like hurting Liverpool and Pepe Reina was pretty much untroubled.
One of the main reasons for that was the magnificent performances of Liverpool's two centre backs, Sami Hyypia and Martin Skrtel, who were outstanding on the day.
They laid the platform for Liverpool's victory and now the Reds have given themselves a bit of breathing space, between themselves and Everton they should go on and finish the job by taking fourth spot.
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