David Moyes' men were ahead early on through Tim Cahill and Johnson's first, and by the time he grabbed the second, in injury time, Liverpool were in near disarray.

Their 17-game unbeaten run since March was wrecked, they were down to 10 men with John Arne Riise carried off with an ankle injury, and Everton were celebrating their biggest victory over their rivals for 42 years.

That was when they won 4-0 at Anfield, and this was the first time they had scored three times against Liverpool for 40 years. You have to go back to 1909 for the last time Everton beat Liverpool by three at Goodison Park.

Within seconds of the kickoff Robbie Fowler attempted a long-range shot which Tim Howard held, and then the Liverpool striker found himself involved in a tussle with Phil Neville which saw Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher warned by referee Graham Poll for arguing about the incident with fourth official Howard Webb. Johnson and Sissoko then fell victim to heavy challenges with the match living up to its recent history, with 15 yellow and three red cards in the previous three derbies.

Everton rained in a succession of set-pieces as they kept the pressure on Liverpool, but when the Reds did get out of their own half Crouch fired wide from Gerrard's corner and Luis Garcia forced Howard into a save . . . at the second attempt . . . after surging into the box.

The game had calmed after a frenetic start but then Tim Cahill sent Goodison Park wild with a 24th-minute goal.

Leon Osman crossed from the right, Lee Carsley flicked on and two defenders went for the ball, which evaded everyone and dropped for a virtually unmarked Cahill to beat Jose Reina from six yards. Liverpool complained long and hard about a perceived foul by Osman on Steve Finnan in the build-up, but referee Poll was unmoved. The visitors almost equalised after 30 minutes when Howard made a fine save to turn away Luis Garcia's drive, with Gerrard arriving to turn the rebound onto a post and behind.

Then Sissoko's touch set up Gerrard for an 18-yard shot which curled just wide of the post. Joseph Yobo was booked for bringing down Gerrard after 34 minutes.

But it got worse for Liverpool two minutes later as they failed to deal with a succession of challenges on the left and allowed Carsley to get in a pass which saw Johnson skip behind Sami Hyypia and then get past Carragher before drilling the second goal past Reina.

Fowler, who had rarely escaped the clutches of Joleon Lescott, managed a weak header from Crouch's flick-on, Howard saving with ease early in the second period. Dirk Kuyt replaced Crouch after 53 minutes, and five minutes later he got away on the left to lay the ball into Xabi Alonso's path, only for the Spaniard to fire wildly over. Everton failed to clear a Fabio Aurelio corner which allowed Finnan a chance from 20 yards that flashed just wide of a post.

John Arne Riise then replaced Fowler, with Kuyt a lone striker and Aurelio moved into midfield. Liverpool were having their best spell now and when Alonso's chip found Gerrard on the right, his cross-shot was only inches wide.

But Everton were holding firm and still managed to break with Osman almost finding Johnson with a low cross, the ball bouncing agonisingly across goal.

Gerrard then hit the post again and when Kuyt followed up with an angled shot, the ball struck Hibbert on the arm as he cleared.

Jermaine Pennant took over from Sissoko on 82 minutes as Liverpool continued to press. But Riise received a caution for a foul on Arteta, before being carried off with his left ankle heavily strapped. Everton replaced the excellent Osman with James Beattie, and then Arteta with Nuno Valente. Hyypia was booked for a foul in injury time. But there was still time for Reina to push a Carsley long-ranger into the air and then fumble the dropping ball, allowing the quickthinking Johnson to head it into the roof of the net.