Pool leave Toffees in sticky situation

Everton 1 Liverpool 3

Goals from Peter Crouch, Steven Gerrard and Djibril Cisse had Liverpool in command as they swept to their ninth successive Barclays Premiership victory.

The triumph takes them to within four points of second-placed Manchester United, with two games in hand.

Spurred on by their boss David Moyes Everton produced a battling display but could not cope with Liverpool's passing superiority as they made it four defeats in a row.

Referee Graham Poll sent off Phil Neville and Mikel Arteta both for two bookable offences as the game started running away from Everton in the second period.

The hosts made three changes from the side that lost 4-0 at Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Out went James McFadden, Leon Osman and defender Per Kroldrup, with David Weir, Kevin Kilbane and Nuno Valente coming in as boss Moyes searched for the right formula to halt the Toffees dismal form.

Liverpool, after eight successive league victories, left John Arne Riise, Luis Garcia and Fernando Morientes on the bench and brought in Djibril Cisse up front, Stephen Warnock at full back and Mohamed Sissoko into midfield.

Liverpool were on the offensive from the off. First, Cisse hooked wide from a corner and a fine saving tackle from Joseph Yobo halted Peter Crouch in the box.

Everton's Simon Davies had a shot charged down, while Tony Hibbert forced Jose Reina into a plunging save from 25 yards.

Liverpool hit Everton on the break after 11 minutes as Sissoko's header in midfield was nodded down by Cisse before Steven Gerrard's headed into the path of Crouch. Nuno Valente looked to be playing him onside and the big striker took the ball around Nigel Martyn before firmly slotting the ball into the far corner.

Seven minutes later, Tim Cahill's headed clearance was snapped up by Gerrard who surged forward to unleash a 20 yarder that brushed Yobo but was on target to flash past an unsighted Martyn, making it two nil.

Phil Neville, playing in a central midfield role, urged on his Everton colleagues and produced a 20-yarder that was deflected wide.

Only a couple of inches and a linesman's flag deprived Everton's James Beattie of a goal from a Tim Cahill cross the linesman signalled the ball was just over the line when the Australian played it. But Liverpool did not learn and allowed Everton to push forward, paying the price three minutes from the break.

Liverpool conceded their first goal in 762 Premiership minutes after Kilbane and Davies worked to get the ball into the six yard box and Beattie headed it wide Jose Reina. Everton were back in the game.

After just 74 seconds of the second period, however, Liverpool restored their two-goal lead.

Warnock found Harry Kewell, who helped a clearance down the left touchline to Cisse. The Frenchman attacked Weir on a powerful run and went around the Scot with ease before producing a stunning low sidefoot into the far corner for Liverpool's third.

Neville was booked for a foul on Sissoko and from the free kick, Gerrard saw a dipping effort clear the bar. Everton then lost Davies, on 56 minutes, after the Welshman was clattered by colleague Neville, and, despite treatment, he was replaced by McFadden.

Kewell was booked for dissent but when Neville caught Sissoko in the course of another wayward attempt to get the ball, referee Poll showed him a second yellow, then red.

Beattie was booked for a foul on Warnock before Liverpool sent on Morientes for Crouch. Everton, to their credit, still tried to make a game of it and their aerial work continued to bother Liverpool.

With 10 minutes left Riise took over from Kewell on the left flank, but Everton refused to give in and Beattie swept an effort over the top from Yobo's flick on.

Luis Garcia came on for Gerrard with six minutes left, with the job surely done already.

But there was still time for Arteta to get booked for a late flick at Sami Hyypia and then sent off after an injury time foul on Luis Garcia.

EVERTON: Martyn, Hibbert, Yobo, Weir, Nuno Valente, Arteta, Neville, Davies (McFadden 57), Kilbane, Cahill, Beattie.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Warnock, Gerrard (Luis Garcia 85), Sissoko, Alonso, Kewell (Riise 80), Crouch (Morientes 77), Cisse.

Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).