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Everton 1-1 Liverpool: Pair of goals before halftime levels Merseyside Derby

There was no shortage of fire at Goodison Park, but aside from a pair of canceling goals just before halftime, Everton and Liverpool could not find a winner as the Merseyside derby finished level for the sixth time in the last seven meetings.

Liverpool attacked brightly in the opening 10 minutes, with the first big chance falling to Daniel Sturridge on a cross from Martin Skrtel, but Phil Jagielka came across to make a crucial challenge right in front of goal.

The fouling was persistent early as well, and referee Martin Atkinson did his best not to blow his whistle at every turn.

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With Everton largely on the back foot throughout the first half-hour, they suddenly put the game’s best chance on net in the 28th minute as Steven Naismith connected to a free-kick and headed just under the bar but Simon Mignolet was there for an acrobatic save.

The moment energized the home side, and Mignolet was needed again just two minutes later as James McCarthy struck powerful shot that saw the Belgian goalkeeper spring to his right to save.

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Tempers flared as Ross Barkley and Emre Can got heated on the touchline, with both receiving a yellow for their efforts. The anger seemed to energize Can, and in turn Liverpool as a result. They would get the opening goal four minutes before halftime as Danny Ings turned a corner home with a powerful header on his Merseyside Derby debut.

But Everton would not go into the break trailing thanks to a powerful strike from Romelu Lukaku. A cross from Gerard Deulofeu in first-half added time found the feet of Can, but the midfielder failed to clear, instead hitting right to Lukaku and the big Belgian ripped a volley into the back corner of the net to equalize.

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Both teams looked to have an attacking sense in the second half, but with the physical play continuing to halt flow, Martin Atkinson had his work cut out for him. Liverpool looked bright early, with Everton owning a spell of attacking play on the hour mark.

The game began to get sloppy in the final 15 minutes as tempers simmered, and Ramiro Funes Mori was required to stop Sturridge from finding himself in on goal with three minutes to go. The points were shared, leaving the two teams still just one apart. Everton moves to 13 to pull even with Arsenal in sixth for the moment, while Liverpool hit 12 to move even with Tottenham and Southampton.