Oct 31, 2009 - 4:15 PM
0 shoutsBy CHRIS TUPLING STATS European Football Writer=
LONDON (SE) - Everton and Aston Villa each had a player sent off as the sides fought out a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov scored Everton's first half goal and was later dismissed by referee Lee Probert for a foul.
Villa defender Carlos Cuellar was sent off a minute later, in the 87th, also for a foul but the result was just about correct.
Everton's point ended a miserable sequence of results which included defeats by Benfica, Bolton and Tottenham and left manager David Moyes with a long list of injuries.
Neither side was able to impose themselves in a sterile opening half which was livened only by Bilyaletdinov's 44th minute goal.
Tim Cahill caused chaos in the Villa defence and although Yakubu could not control the chance, Bilyaletdinov was on hand to score from ten yards.
Villa manager Martin O'Neill sent on Norway striker John Carew at the start of the second half and the move paid off immediately.
Carew had only been on the pitch 44 seconds when Stephen Warnock crossed from the left and although Tim Howard parried Gabriel Agbonlahor's shot, it ran only as far as Carew who scored easily.
Carew might have got another as Villa had the better of the second half but anxious Everton held on to earn a draw.
Referee Probert made for an exciting last ten minutes when he showed a straight red to Bilyaletdinov for a foul and then a minute later did the same to Cuellar.
Moyes was unhappy with the referee Probert's decisions but pleased with the result.
Moyes said: "I did not think it warranted a red card but you have to accept it and now we lose him to suspension. I don't think the game was the sort for red cards.
"Overall I felt we managed as best we could without ten or eleven of my first team squad. You cannot lose that many and expect to beating good sides.
"Having said that, Villa have some quality players and I thought we coped well with them. We deserved to go in at half time ahead and the shame is that we could not hold on.
"But after recent results and what has happened to so many players I have to be pleased with a draw."
Villa boss O'Neill said: "I know you will say that I am only defending my own player but I did not think Cuellar's tackle warranted a red card.
"On the other hand, and you will say I was bound to say this, I did think their boy deserved to go according to the letter of the law.
"Whether either sending off made a difference, I cannot say. They were both late in the game and by then we were probably heading for a draw.
"Carew was sent on to make a physical difference and he did this immediately and I thought he caused them a few problems."
