Everton striker Romelu Lukaku's goal on the stroke of half time has levelled the Merseyside derby at 1-1 after Danny Ings had fired Liverpool ahead.

Both sides started at a frenetic pace, but the Reds were the first to threaten as Martin Skrtel collected the ball at the back post from a free kick and tried to play the ball into the feet of Daniel Sturridge, but Phil Jagielka came across to make a vital challenge.

From the resulting corner, Skrtel beat Ramiro Funes Mori at the back post, although he sent his headed effort over the bar from close range.

The Reds continued to have the better of the opportunities as Ings took the ball on the first-time volley from the edge of the box, and his effort went inches over the crossbar.

James Milner should have given his side the lead when he latched on to a ball over the top of the Everton defence, but his close-range volley was well saved by Tim Howard.

The Toffees almost punished Milner for his lack of a clinical edge when Barkley lifted a free kick into the box for the run of Steven Naismith, but the Scot was denied a goal by an impressive one-handed stop from Simon Mignolet.

The Belgian then made another fine save minutes later to prevent James McCarthy's strike from inside the bottom corner as he dived to his right to palm the ball to safety.

Liverpool came back into the match as Ings was allowed to break away down the flank, but opted to go alone rather than pass to Sturridge in support and spurned the opening as Funes Mori made a good covering tackle.

From the resulting corner, Ings pulled off Barkley and headed the ball into the net from inside the six-yard box to put Brendan Rodgers's men ahead in the 41st minute.

However, Everton rallied just before the break as a defensive error from Can allowed Lukaku to pounce in the box to rifle a left-footed strike into the bottom corner.