You would have to trawl through the history books all the way to the previous century to find Everton’s last win at Anfield in a Merseyside derby.
It’s a 22-year hoodoo which seven different Everton managers have fallen foul of, one of the most high-profile ducks in Premier League history.
Monday 27th September 1999
Liverpool sit 12th in the Premier League after a slow start to the season under new manager Gerard Houllier, and Everton are three points better off in 7th place. It’s Monday night football before Monday Night Football.
Everton are the form side having won four of their last five games, and it shows in the early stages.
Nick Barmby breaks into the box before pulling the ball back to Francis Jeffers, and the youngster flicks it through to Kevin Campbell who lashes home to put the Toffees ahead with just four minutes on the clock.
Walter Smith’s side are content to sit back on their lead after that and hit their hosts on the counter-attack. This infuriates Liverpool and provides the basis for an angry Merseyside derby.
While Everton move the ball around at the back, Michael Owen dives in with a wild lunge on David Weir. Mike Riley goes to his cards, but the young striker is lucky that it’s only a yellow one the referee brandishes.
Another young striker, Jeffers, breaks the Liverpool back line in the second half. He collides with Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld, who immediately swings at the Everton man. Jeffers responds with a right hook as the two players brawl in the penalty area.
Both are sent off, and Liverpool are forced to give the gloves to defender Steve Staunton as they have already made all three substitutions.
One of those substitutes, a young Steven Gerrard, is also shown his marching orders after less than 25 minutes on the pitch for a knee-high challenge on Campbell, who was attempting to break.
The game finishes 1-0 to Everton, but the Toffees’ form falls away after the result and they finish the season in 13th place. Liverpool manage to turn their season around and fight for the title, but are thwarted by a similarly defensive Everton side in the reverse fixture at Goodison Park.
Everton have tried and failed in 23 attempts to defeat the Reds on their home turf since, but playing without the crowd on their back for the first time, will the duck finally be broken?
