Everything has gone against Everton in the first half of this season's inaugural Merseyside Derby, but they've done enough to keep the score level at 0-0 heading into halftime. Jack Rodwell has been shown an absolutely ridiculous red card while Liverpool have been given a penalty and have hit the woodwork from open play, but the Toffees have held on somehow.

Rodwell's red came in the 23rd minute and it was for a challenge that was hardly even a foul and certainly not even a yellow card. Martin Atkinson was booed mercilessly as he walked off the pitch, and it's hard to blame the folks in attendance at Goodison Park. The sending off was an atrocious decision that completely changed the game.

Liverpool should have scored at the end of the half, but were improbably denied twice on two great chances. First, the Reds were given a penalty when Luis Suarez went down in the box. Unlike the Rodwell red, this big decision was absolutely right. Phil Jagielka tripped the Uruguayan, and it was a seriously ill-advised challenge. Dirk Kuyt stepped up and appeared to place his penalty well, but Tim Howard made a fantastic save.

In stoppage time, Charlie Adam looked like he had the opening goal with an absolute screamer of a shot, but he hit the underside of the crossbar and the ball bounced clear.

We'll have live coverage of the Merseyside Derby and all of the rest of this week's Premier League fixtures in our English Premier League Week 7 StoryStream. Check out Everton blog Royal Blue Mersey and Liverpool blog Anfield Asylum for more on the two teams. Head over to SB Nation Soccer for more on the entire world of football.