Good afternoon and welcome to Eurosport's LIVE coverage of the first Merseyside derby of the season. Are you ready for some team news?

A failure to score today would see Liverpool record blanks in front of goal in successive PL home matches for the first time since 1-0 home defeats v West Brom and Fulham in April-May 2012.

At the other end Lukaku powers from distance... Mignolet saves.

Another chance for a Liverpool opener! Sterling's low cross sees Balotelli and Lallana get in each other's way. If there's only one red shirt there, surely Howard isn't getting to a low slotted finish.

Phew. First real quiet period of the game. And breathe...

Lukaku pass intercepted and again Pool break, this time not getting very far. But the match is now slipping into a pattern after that frantic start.

Stones so far is standing out at the back for Everton as Liverpool continue to put the pressure on.

Again Liverpool catch Everton in midfield possession and break, and Lallana is there again in the box, forcing a corner off his marker this time. Stones beats Skrtel to Gerrard's delivery.

Martin Atkinson is of course the man who sent off Jack Rodwell in that infamous edition of the derby, and so far today he has caused controversy already.

The early tempo in this game is incredible. Be interesting to see if both sides can keep this going throughout.

Balotelli with another free-kick... Howard pushes it around the post! Corner comes in..... Lallana point-blank header! HOW DID HOWARD KEEP THAT OUT?

That should have also been a penalty. While it can be seen as two not given cancelling each other out, that surely would have been a second yellow for Barry if both were given.

Moreno has a shot blocked, as does Sterling....... that hit the arm of Barry! Nothing given - Pool players are FURIOUS.

Liverpool counter and Balotelli's through! No, he's JUST offside. Howard made himself big and blocked his attempt at a lifted finish.

First real shot on target comes the way of Liverpool's danger man Sterling, but it's a tame angled effort which Tim Howard easily gathers.

Replays show perhaps Everton were hard done by, as Moreno had a hold of Lukaku's arm on the ref's blind side.

Lukaku cuts into the box from the right, but as he goes down just inside the penalty area his tumble is a bit too contrived for the man in the middle.

Want to get involved? Tweet me your in-game musings and I'll publish a few. Follow @liamhappe

Gerrard and Balotelli stand over it. Mario actually gets the skipper's blessing to take it... but it pings off the wall and safe.

Lallana felled by Barry for a dangerous Liverpool free-kick 20 yards out, and Barry gets an extremely fast yellow card. Ref setting the tone with that call.

Liverpool kick off the derby to the usual fever-pitch atmosphere for this prestige fixture.