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Derby defeat heaps pressure on Hodgson

Mikel Arteta made it two © PA Photos

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New Liverpool owners John W Henry and Tom Werner could only look on in dismay as Liverpool sank to a 2-0 defeat against Everton in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

The loss, which came courtesy of goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta, keeps Liverpool in the relegation zone and intensifies the pressure on manager Roy Hodgson.

Although much of the gloom swirling around Liverpool has lifted this week with the arrival of the new American owners, it was Everton who began with the greater vigour. David Moyes' men competed with a frantic intensity - hassling their opponents at every opportunity - and had the best chances of a one-sided opening half.

After Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin both blazed wildly over from inviting positions - showing all the composure in the opposition area you'd expect from centre backs - Cahill handed the Toffees a deserved lead. Seamus Coleman went on a rampaging run down the right hand side before sending an inviting cutback into the path of the Australian, who rifled the ball into the roof of the net from just outside the six-yard area.

The away side found themselves two goals in arrears early in the second half when Arteta pounced on a half-cleared corner to blast in from 18 yards. Having doubled their advantage, Everton were willing to cede the initiative and look to hit their great rivals on the counter. Liverpool accepted the invitation - but their laboured attacks were easily repelled, with a tame long range effort from Raul Meireles the most threatening.

In the end it was Everton who came closest to scoring a late goal, Jermaine Beckford blazing over when clear on goal. But this was no time for the Toffees, who climb to 11th in the table, to rue missed opportunities - they were happy to claim any victory on a day heralded as the start of a new era for their great rivals.

Carlos Tevez was City's hero © PA Photos

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In the day's late kick-off, Manchester City cut the gap to Chelsea at the top of the table to two points by snatching a 3-2 victory at Blackpool, despite being second best for most of the match. A Carlos Tevez brace - scored either side of a Marlon Harewood header - and a brilliant individual effort from substitute David Silva confirmed City's credentials as genuine title contenders.

Lining up in an unfamiliar 4-4-2 formation, Roberto Mancini's men were outplayed for long periods as they struggled to cope with the new system. Blackpool wasted a series of chances to take the lead - the most glaring of which fell to DJ Campbell - before Tevez nipped in to convert Silva's low cross.

Fuelled by an understandable sense of injustice, Blackpool pushed hard for the equaliser their performance deserved. It came courtesy of Harewood, who flicked Charlie Adam's free kick past Joe Hart after sneaking ahead of Joleon Lescott.

Parity didn't last long - straight from the resulting kick-off, Tevez surged at the heart of the Blackpool defence with trademark tenacity and, after a ricochet, lashed a left-foot strike into the back of the net. Silva made the game safe after deceiving the Tangerines' defence with nimble footwork and nonchalantly passing the ball into the corner of the net.

An injury-time consolation from Gary Taylor-Fletcher helped the scoreline more accurately reflect the action, but it was too late in the piece to affect the result.

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