The Merseyside derby has ended in a stalemate as Everton and Liverpool played out a 1-1 draw in their Premier League clash at Goodison Park.
Danny Ings opened the scoring for the Reds in the 41st minute, but Romelu Lukaku brought the home side level just before the half-time whistle. However, neither team could find a winner in the second half as the rivals shared the spoils.
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Both sides started at a frenetic pace, but the Reds were the first to threaten as Martin Skrtel collected the ball at the back post from a free kick and tried to play the ball into the feet of Daniel Sturridge, but Phil Jagielka came across to make a vital challenge.
From the resulting corner, Skrtel beat Ramiro Funes Mori at the back post, although he sent his headed effort over the bar from close range.
The Reds continued to have the better of the opportunities as Ings took the ball on the first-time volley from the edge of the box, and his effort went inches over the crossbar.
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James Milner should have given his side the lead when he latched on to a ball over the top of the Everton defence, but his close-range volley was well saved by Tim Howard.
The Toffees almost punished Milner for his lack of a clinical edge when Barkley lifted a free kick into the box for the run of Steven Naismith, but the Scot was denied a goal by an impressive one-handed stop from Simon Mignolet.
The Belgian then made another fine save minutes later to prevent James McCarthy's strike from inside the bottom corner as he dived to his right to palm the ball to safety.
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Liverpool came back into the match and took the lead from a corner in the 41st minute as Ings pulled off Barkley and headed the ball into the net from inside the six-yard box.
However, Everton rallied just before the break as a defensive error from Can allowed Lukaku to pounce in the box to rifle a left-footed strike into the bottom corner.
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In the second half, Lukaku found space down the flank and tried to pick out Naismith at the back post, but Mignolet did well to read the cross and make the save to claim the ball.
Barkley was presented with an opportunity on the counter as Liverpool were caught short in defence, and the midfielder chose to ignore the run of Lukaku and go for the strike himself, but he curled his effort just past the post.
Everton continued to press forward and Lukaku saw his right-footed strike beaten away by Mignolet, while at the other end Howard denied a powerful effort from Philippe Coutinho by punching the ball to safety.
The home side upped the ante late in the game, but the Liverpool defence held firm to secure a valuable point for Brendan Rodgers's men.
Simon Sinclair
