EPL 2016-17: Top 5 individual performances in the Merseyside Derby
One of the fiercest cross-town rivalries resumes on Monday evening when Liverpool make the short trip to the Goodison Park to take on the Toffees for the 205th Merseyside derby. The derby that splits families across the city of Liverpool has been an entertaining affair over the years and promises to be a sizzling affair yet again as the Reds are back in their marauding form, while Everton come into the game on the back of a resounding victory over the high-flying Arsenal.
The game is definitely the talking point for millions of fans worldwide this weekend and in this segment, we recount some of the brilliant individual performances put in the players since the inception of the Premier League.
#1 Gary McAllister (2000-01)
The Scot’s arrival at Anfield raised quite a few eyebrows and the reaction was justified. The then 35-year-old had been plying his trade with Coventry City, who were primarily a bottom half club and while he brought him with him the requisite experience, the move to sign him seemed like a desperate roll of the dice by manager Gerard Houllier. However, the former Leicester, Leeds United, and Motherwell midfielder soon became a fan favourite at Anfield owing to his impressive performance in the middle of the park for the Reds.
The midfielder’s greatest moment in a Red shirt came in the Merseyside derby game in April 2001. After Duncan Ferguson and David Unsworth had equalised for Everton after Liverpool led via goals from Emile Heskey and Marcus Babbel, the game seemed to be heading towards a draw, thus piling on more pressure on the Reds, who were losing the plot in their chase of Champions League qualification.
Liverpool were handed a free-kick late in the injury time of the second half of the second half from 40 yards and it looked like a lost cause just trying to score from the distance. Cometh the moment, cometh the man. McAllister took the decisive kick and etched himself in the folklore of the Merseyside derby as he scored a wonderful free-kick to earn Liverpool the decisive three points.