Everton FC News: We didn’t deserve to lose derby, David Moyes

Nov 30 2009 by James Pearce, Liverpool Daily Post

Everton FC News: MANAGER David Moyes was left cursing Everton’s misfortune after yesterday’s derby heartache.

The Goodison chief insisted his players deserved at least a share of the spoils for a gutsy performance.

However, he was left to rue some poor finishing and inspired goalkeeping from Pepe Reina.

Liverpool also enjoyed a big slice of luck when Javier Mascherano’s shot deflected off Joseph Yobo for the opening goal.

The defeat leaves Everton just three points above the Premier League drop zone with just one win in their last 11 games in all competitions.

“I thought we certainly didn’t deserve to come off the pitch as losers today,” Moyes said.

“The players worked extremely hard and deserved more than what they got in the end.

“Liverpool only had one chance in the first half and that was the header from Insua.

“I don’t know how many times Liverpool had been in our half before they scored but it wasn’t many.

“The deflected goal took the sting out of us slightly but I thought the players reacted really well.

“They kept going and in the main we kept Liverpool quiet.

“We were trying to set the tone and the pace of the game. We made it difficult for them but it’s just disappointing we didn’t get anything out of it.

“I take a lot of encouragement from today but it doesn’t change the position we’re in.”

Moyes had no complaints about the two efforts Jo had ruled out for offside in the first half. After the break Everton continued to press but Reina’s double save denied them an equaliser before an error from Yobo presented the chance for Dirk Kuyt to settle it.

“For the first offside you could argue about giving the benefit of the doubt to the striker but I think the linesman has got them both correct,” he admitted.

“At half-time I thought if we played the same again in the second half our luck might change and we would get a goal.

“We’d had a few opportunities in a tight game and Billy (Bilyaletdinov) had a great chance.

“But maybe that double save from their keeper altered things a little bit. That was really important.

“Up until their second goal, I don’t remember Liverpool having a chance except for that Insua header.

“It was disappointing because it was our mistake which led to them scoring their second. In big games like this you hope you don’t get in a situation like that.

“It’s hard enough to score a goal without making those kind of errors.

“But overall I have to say the players did a good job.”

Moyes insisted he had no regrets about playing Jo as a lone frontman with Yakubu and Louis Saha on the bench.

“I thought it was justified as Jo did really well,” he added.

“Saha hasn’t trained since the Hull game and wasn’t even going to go on the bench.

“But he had a fitness test on the pitch before the game and felt like he might be able to give me 20 minutes or so.”