For some it was the sort of day where one points to the end result—a victory at Goodison—as being enough, as being the only thing that really matters after a far from convincing performance. There was Luis Suarez, who scored a goal in the end though his touch often seemed heavy and his play a step off the pace. Meanwhile Andy Carroll failed to exert any influence for much of the match, yet popped up with a perfect strike that had the already half-written media narrative doing a one-eighty. And Charlie Adam had another cracker of an almost-goal while providing better support and service when Liverpool had the ball, but he was again bypassed like a traffic cone whenever Liverpool didn't and after at least showing signs of effort early on largely left his teammates to defend ten against ten after Everton went a man down.
For a handful, however, the ifs, buts, and negatives were few and far between. And primary amongst those with almost wholly positive performances once again was Jose Enrique, putting in another Man of the Match calibre performance that further cements Liverpool's second choice at left back—after Gael Clichy, who publicly talked of shunning Liverpool's offer when he bought into City's big-spending plans—as the club's signing of the summer. To date it would likely be a close call as to whether newcomer Enrique or last year's player of the season Lucas has been Liverpool's best of the new campaign, and now it seems only a matter of time before he gets called up to a Spanish national side that after phasing out Joan Capdevila has been content to use Alvaro Arbeloa at left back so far in the fall. The positives and negatives of that eventual inevitability, though, as well as arguments over who will end up the club's player of the season, are for the future. For now, all that really matters is another chance to enjoy the sudden shift in Liverpool's prospects at left back, and one more classy performance from Jose Enrique.
*Note: video has been blocked by the FA. For alternate (and non-embeddable) version, go here.