Liverpool Echo report

ROY Evans is in the habit of describing each of the setbacks Liverpool have suffered in recent times as a metaphorical "kick in the teeth."

After a much improved performance - and a much needed win - over in-form Derby County, neither he nor his players will be needing an emergency visit to the dentist's this week.

However, they can not yet rip up their appointment card for good.

Following his team's shaming at Goodison and humiliation in Strasbourg, Evans had the courage to face the pre-match music that was being trumpetted as the Last Waltz of his time as Liverpool boss.

And while naturally defending his players against charges that they lacked passion, Evans suggested that the side's problems were as much of application as of attitude.

Although they took time to get into their stride against a Derby County team that strongly fancied its chances of recording a first Anfield win in 27 years, the manner in which Liverpool then neatly dissected their spirited opponents - and the contrast it struck with the lame efforts of the previous seven days - put plenty of flesh on the bones of that opinion.

Purposeful and far more disciplined defensively than they had been across either Stanley Park or the English Channel, Liverpool had to concentrate throughout to absorb plenty of dangerous Derby attacks but never looked like cracking as willingly as they did in France.

With Jason McAteer absent on international duty and Neil Ruddock and Steve Harkness paying the price of the failure of the three-man back line in Strasbourg, Evans fielded the flat back four which he now appears to concede is his safest rearguard option.

And although Paulo Wanchope found space on either flank early in the match, the conventional unit looked far more composed, focussed and organised than its three-man alternative.

Wanchope, the gangling Costa Rican former basketball player, arrived with a reputation as a stretch-limo version of Faustino Asprilla, courtesy of spectacular goals against Manchester United. Perhaps he deserves such billing, but not on the evidence of Anfield, where he played more like a Carribean Ian Ormondroyd. Although he showed a couple of tricks that were indeed more South America than West Yorkshire, the 21-year-old otherwise contributed only two slices, a miskick and a couple of passes inside the box that were as good as a tackle or clearance to Liverpool.

The home attack was positively stunted by physical comparison, but displayed levels of skill, vision and movement far above and beyond a Derby side that had scored 20 goals in its previous six matches.

Fowler and Owen continually made inroads into a County defence that allowed them space to flourish and both strikers enjoyed productive afternoons, even if Owen for once could not join his partner among the scorers.

As on his last Anfield Premiership outing, against Aston Villa, the 17-year-old had to be content with the role of provider rather than finisher. But he showed in his pace and awareness why Evans must continue to select him.

The Liverpool manager is understandably keen to avoid overplaying the youngster, but until Owen begins to flag he should be allowed to terrorise Premiership defences - and that of Strasbourg for that matter - from the first whistle, rather than when the Reds are either home and dry or desperately chasing the game.

Against Derby, he consistently outwitted his markers with his poise and pace, most noticably when forcing Dailly into conceding the second half penalty that Fowler uncharacteristically squandered and earlier when creating the goal with the turn and perceptive pass from which his attacking partner gave Liverpool the lead.

Fowler almost repaid the favour on the half-hour by dropping deep to take possession and send Owen away through the right of the Derby defence, only for his instant shot to flash fractionally wide. The youngster is, however, unlikely to wait much longer for his first senior Anfield goal.

Instead, it was Oyvind Leonhardsen who opened his home account for the Reds by rounding off a superb length of the field move, in which he was twice involved, with the goal that altered the entire face of the game.

McManaman had been perhaps Liverpool's most dangerous attacker, triggering the move that opened the scoring before laying on Leonhardsen's strike, and as Derby threw men forward and caution to the winds in search of a way back into the match following that second goal he punished them for the space they allowed him on the left.

The combination of Redknapp's passing, Leonhardsen's running and Ince's tackling and directorial abilities gave a better look to Liverpool's midfield - even if it lacked a little width on the right - but McManaman stole the show with his workrate and creativity in a wide role that is not his favourite.

The third goal was again created at his feet, the England international scorching clear before slipping the ball inside for Fowler to finish, before he earned his own reward by heading in number four at a corner.

Derby's desperate attacking after the second goal went in almost brought them a score, first when Darryl Powell forced James into a fine full-length save and then when Jonathan Hunt shot over after jinking past three defenders.

But overall, Liverpool deserved their win, although the smiles of relief on the players faces at the final whistle showed they know that this result represents only the patient's first steps of recovery rather than a clean bill of health.

The performance was, however, a welcome respite from the painful teeth-pulling exercises of the previous seven days.

Half-Time : 1-0 to Liverpool.
Attendance : 38,017.
Team (4-4-2): James, Kvarme, Jones, Matteo, Bjornebye, Redknapp, Ince, Leohardsen, McManaman, Owen, Fowler.
Substitutes not used: Murphy, Thomas, Harkness, Ruddock, Neilsen.
Booked: Leonhardsen, Fowler.
Referee : G.S. Willard (Worthing).
League position: 5th (18 points after 11 matches).

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