Jamie Carragher ensured Liverpool held on to beat Everton in Sunday’s critical Merseyside derby.
LION OF THE WEEKEND: Hometown boy Jamie Carragher ensured Liverpool held on to beat Everton in Sunday’s critical Merseyside derby.
Liverpool finished Sunday’s Merseyside derby with only eight fit outfield players so it was just as well that Jamie Carragher put in the performance of three men.
Carragher, an Everton fan as a boy, kept his childhood heroes out with a fantastically determined display as the ball was thrown in to Duncan Ferguson and James Beattie.
Liverpool held on to win 2-1 and Carragher’s great weekend continued with a call-up to the England squad to face Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan and now the Lion of the Weekend award.
Former England centre-half Russell Osman said: "It says a lot for Jamie’s versatility that he began the season at right-back and now he’s one of the best central defenders in the Premiership.
"Liverpool have a lot of foreign stars and flair players but Carragher is always around to make sure they know what the club represents.
"England has a lot of great defenders at the moment but in his own way Jamie is as important to Liverpool as John Terry is to Chelsea or Sol Campbell to Arsenal."
Liverpool raced into a 2-0 lead but then disaster struck with Stephen Warnock, Didi Hamann and Fernando Morientes getting injured and Milan Baros sent off. In addition, Luis Garcia was a virtual passenger.
Carragher rallied the back-four and took responsibility when Ferguson was thrown on.
Steven Gerrard said Liverpool had "defended like lions" and there was no doubting who the head of the pack was - Lion of the Weekend Jamie Carragher.
Lion of the Season - Total nominations so far
Stewart Downing 3 (08 Nov, 18 Oct, 04 Oct)
Shaun Wright-Phillips 3 (25 Oct, 16 Aug, 22 Nov)
Michael Owen 2 (01 Nov, 30 Aug)
John Terry 2 (29 Nov, 13 Dec)
Alan Smith 2 (23 Aug, 04 Jan)
Frank Lampard 2 (06 Dec, 17 Jan)
Wayne Rooney 2 (15 Nov, 31 Jan)
David James 2 (13 Sept, 07 Feb)
Jermain Defoe 2 (20 Dec, 14 Feb)
Rio Ferdinand 2 (11 Oct, 21 Feb)
Ashley Cole 1 (27 Sept)
Ledley King 1 (20 Sept)
Steven Gerrard 1 (06 Sept)
Darren Carter 1 (10 Jan)
Dean Ashton 1 (24 Jan)
Andy Johnson 1 (28 Feb)
Joe Cole 1 (06 Feb)
Kieron Dyer 1 (14 Mar)
Jamie Carragher 1 (21 Mar)
* Every Monday TheFA.com announces the outstanding England player from the weekend’s matches, selected with the help of a former England international.
Lion of the Weekend is chosen by five former England internationals: Alan Mullery, Russell Osman, Mick Mills, Malcolm Macdonald and Paul Parker.
The player with the most votes at the end of the season will be crowned "Lion of the Season".