IF David Moyes has found it hard to look forward to matches at Anfield during his time as manager of Everton, then goodness knows what he thinks of the place now.
The Scot yesterday complained that another decision went against his side to deny him a first win away to arch rivals Liverpool. The 220th Merseyside derby ended goalless but the Everton manager was left unhappy Sylvain Distin's second-half header was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Jose Reina.
A draw extended Everton's winless run in the league at their city neighbours to 14 years – beyond Moyes' time at the club – but the Scot said that had his side got their fair share of decisions in derbies during his tenure, their results would have been dramatically different.
"It was a legitimate goal. The goalkeeper runs into Victor Anichebe and it is a goal," said Moyes, who has yet to commit to a new contract at Goodison and has been linked with German club Schalke. "The referee said Victor impeded the goalkeeper but the goalkeeper ran into him, so it can't possibly be a free-kick. It is not a foul. It is disappointing because it is not easy here.
"You people [the media] are quick to remind me I've not won at Anfield but if you don't get any decisions at Anfield it makes it very difficult to win and that [not getting decisions] is quite a regular occurrence when you come here. If you score a good goal, you need to get something going for you."
Derbies will always polarise the opinion of those involved and Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, had a different view of the incident. He was adamant referee Michael Oliver was right to blow for a foul.
"I think when you see it again, the referee has good sight of it early," said the Northern Irishman. "As the ball has virtually left the corner he has blown up for a foul. I wasn't 100% sure at the time it wasn't for Distin's foul on [Jamie] Carragher or whether it was Anichebe but I think it was Anichebe's initial push. It is one of those where if you are the manager you probably see the decision as the correct one."
Comparisons were made to the goal Luis Suarez had ruled out when the two sides drew 2-2 earlier in the season. "This was different to our goal at Goodison Park, he [Suarez] was clearly onside when he scored," added Rodgers. "If you look at this decision here, the referee has had a clear view of it and before there is any contact with the ball he has already blown. That was probably Everton's best possibility, to score from a set piece."
Everton – who are sixth in the Barclays Premier League – have retained a five-point cushion over their rivals, though, and Moyes felt that was significant in itself.
"I've been here a lot and I've drawn quite a lot here," added the Scot. "I've not won but maybe draws aren't bad results and sometimes we don't get credit for that."
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