THE FIRST Merseyside FA Cup derby for 18 years was not incentive enough for Tom Hicks or George Gillett to cross the Atlantic but two emotive figures still kept controversy alive in their predictable absence at Anfield: Rafael Benitez and David Moyes. Managers and not suits at the centre of the argument – how it should be.
Benitez reacted to a second successive draw with Everton here by accusing his depleted rivals of negative tactics and insinuating that, in keeping with the criticism that followed a goalless draw here in 2007, the “small-club mentality” continues at Goodison Park. Moyes refused to be drawn into the debate saying, “Everton do things with dignity and style.”
Their spat took attention away from the Liverpool co-owners’ continued attempts to secure new investment in the club and Benitez’s treatment of Robbie Keane, who was omitted from the squad.
“I am really pleased with my team. We deserved to win,” said Benitez. “To play like that against a team with 10 players behind the ball is not easy but we worked hard, created chances and reacted very positively after the disappointment of the other night.”
Before the kick-off Everton’s most creative outlet, Mikel Arteta, had joined the suspended Marouane Fellaini plus the injured Yakubu Ayegbeni, James Vaughan and Louis Saha on Moyes’ absentee list with a rib problem.
When asked if he appreciated the Everton manager’s position, or had ever employed similar tactics himself, Benitez added: “It was more or less the same on Monday night [when Arteta played]. I am the Liverpool football club manager so I can only think about to win. It doesn’t matter what they do. I never used those tactics at Valencia but sometimes I did with Extremadura.”
Moyes’ retort was equally loaded. “This [Liverpool] is a great football club but Everton do things with dignity and style.”
The Everton manager, who claimed his side merited a penalty for Alvaro Arbeloa’s innocuous collision with Steven Pienaar, added: “We have been here twice this week and drawn twice. I didn’t come looking for a draw, although I would have taken one in the end.”
A replay at Goodison on February 4th, Benitez admitted, was a headache he could do without, as Liverpool chase the title, and his omission of Keane, who was not injured and not present to witness the stalemate, ensured the soap opera at Anfield continued unabated. “Robbie wasn’t selected,” confirmed Benitez. “We have a very good squad.”
The division between Hicks and Gillett has created a cloud over Liverpool’s campaign. Unless there is a drop in their €636 million asking price or their intransigent stance that one will not walk away from the club without the other, there is little prospect it will disperse soon.
The Kuwaiti billionaire, Nasser al-Kharafi, has not seized the approach he received from Hicks’ representatives last week due to the Texan’s insistence on retaining a stake in Liverpool should a deal proceed. Gillett, for his part, is reluctant to sell his 50 per cent interest should his business partner remain involved.
