Hodgson: The Best We Played This Season

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has claimed that his sides demoralising defeat to fierce rivals Everton was the best he has seen under his tenure. The Toffees won 2-0 in a game in which the visitors rarely threatened to score but the former Fulham boss saw a lot he was happy with. "From what I saw I thought we dominated the second half totally. I thought the shape of the team was good, the quality of our passing and movement was good. We didn't score goals and Everton did but I refuse to accept that we were in any way outplayed or any way inferior. I watched the performance and the second half was as good as I saw a Liverpool team play under my management that is for sure." The comments will surely enrage Liverpool fans who saw their side concede a first half goal to Tim Cahill before the game was put beyond them after 50 minutes when Mikel Arteta fired home in a crowded box. When asked if his team was outplayed the Liverpool boss said: "That's very unfair. We suffered at the hands of an early onslaught which you invariably do at Goodison but towards the end of the first half we started to even things out. " Liverpool, watched by their new owner John W Henry, are now 19th in the table, ahead of West Ham by goal difference.