Liverpool vs Everton Results: Rodgers, Moyes Disagree Over Crucial Disallowed Distin Goal in Merseyside Derby

May 05, 2013 11:24 PM EDT

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was reasonably happy with his side's performance in the 0-0 draw against Everton in the Merseyside Derby, while David Moyes bemoaned the disallowed goal, which would have given the Toffees their first win at Anfield since 1999.

In an English Premier League game which was rather forgettable, both sides did not have enough intensity with an end-of-the-season feel very much in the air.

Liverpool, though, did create most of the clearcut opportunities, and Rodgers felt his side needed to show a little more composure to put those chances away.

"We had two one-on-ones," Rodgers said. "(Philippe) Coutinho played a brilliant pass and (Daniel) Sturridge has either got to take it early or get around the 'keeper -- and he tried to go around the keeper but ran too wide with it.

"Steve (Gerrard) made a great burst (through on goal) but was unfortunate and there was another great chance when (Fabio) Borini makes that early run into the six-yard box and almost has a tap in.

"In the second half we were better and the players kept going -- I can't fault them."

Everton, though, probably should have been the team to come away with all three points, with Sylvain Distin having a goal disallowed by referee Michael Oliver for what looked like a soft foul inside the box.

"It was a goal," Everton manager David Moyes said. "The goalkeeper (Pepe Reina) runs into our player so the goal should stand.

"If we run into the goalkeeper then give a foul for that, but he ran into us, so it was a goal. The referee said he gave the foul on Victor Anichebe for impeding the goalkeeper."

Rodgers, though, disagreed with Moyes' views and believed referee Michael Oliver made the right decision.

"I thought Michael Oliver did very well today (Sunday)," he said. "I thought he was excellent.

"It was different to the decision at Goodison Park (Luis Suarez's disallowed goal in the reverse fixture). "That was clearly onside.

"If you look at this decision here, the referee has had a clear view of it -- there's nothing blocking him.

"The ball is already in flight, and then before there is any contact anywhere near, the referee blows.

"So I think the decision was clear and that was probably Everton's best possibility to score form a set-piece. They are strong and aggressive and they can go and attack the ball, but I thought we coped with that quite well."

The result keeps Everton in sixth, five points clear of Liverpool with just two games remaining in the season, but Moyes was nevertheless disappointed not to pick up the Toffees' first win at Anfield for 14 years.

"I thought we did what we had to do," Moyes said. "We didn't make as many chances as we would have liked.

"We found it hard to get a lot going for us, things weren't going our way. That's what happens when you come to Anfield, you very rarely get good decisions.

"We are still in there. We picked up a point, we've had a really difficult run-in and we will keep pushing."

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