27.09.2014 16:42 h

Jagielka joy as wonder goal rocks Liverpool

Everton defender Phil Jagielka admitted his stunning late equaliser against Liverpool was simply a case of taking a swing and hoping for the best.

Jagielka was Everton's unlikely hero as the England defender bagged his first club goal since April 2013 from a fierce 25-yard effort to salvage a 1-1 draw in Saturday's Merseyside derby at Anfield.

Roberto Martinez's side trailed to Steven Gerrard's 65th-minute free-kick and looked set for another dispiriting experience at Anfield, where they haven't won since 1999, as the match entered stoppage time.

As Everton pressed for the equaliser, Jagielka had already opted not to shoot once when a sight of goal opened up for the centre-back.

But he immediately regretted that decision and told himself he would "have a swing" if another opportunity presented itself -- which it did in the closing moments when he seized on a headed clearance and smashed a curling shot past Simon Mignolet.

"The swinging worked," Jagielka told BT Sport. "A point is decent but we would have loved three. Going into the last few minutes 1-0 down to get a point is fantastic."

Gerrard grudgingly saluted his former England colleague and admitted Everton got "out of jail" with a "wonder strike".

After a disappointing start to the season, Everton manager Martinez was delighted to escape with a point his team's spluttering performance barely deserved and he saluted Jagielka's goal as a symbol of the team's spirit.

"It was an outstanding strike - a real example of the character and the DNA at this club," Martinez said.