Lost in the furor over Jack Rodwell's red card and Andy Carroll's first Premier League goal this season, Liverpool posted just its second clean sheet of the campaign in the 2-0 win against Everton at Goodison Park.
After the Toffees threatened early through a slew of dangerous set pieces, the Reds were able to keep their blue-clad counterparts at bay for the remainder of the match, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Jamie Carragher.
Saving his best performance of the season for the Merseyside derby, Carragher played a major role in keeping Everton's Louis Saha and Tim Cahill off the score sheet, once again putting on a positional clinic at the back. In addition, Carragher contributed to Liverpool's patient passing approach by playing the ball on the ground, as opposed to searching for the aforementioned Carroll's forehead as in other matches this season.
Carragher's contribution was not lost on manager Kenny Dalglish, who went out of his way to praise his vice-captain's performance.
"It was good to keep a clean sheet. We haven't had one for a few weeks. We've been unlucky not to get more because some of the goals we've conceded have been right at the end of games," Dalglish said.
"Whenever you do keep a clean sheet it obviously gives you a great chance of getting something. If you do stop the other team scoring it's good for everybody, the defenders in particular.
"I thought all the lads at the back dealt with everything. Carra was superb again."
The Reds will be hoping to get another vintage performance from Carragher when Premier League play resumes Oct. 15, when Manchester United travels to Anfield.
