Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has cheekily liked a social media post highlighting Everton midfielder Allan's afternoon to forget in the Merseyside derby.
The Reds defeated their local rivals 2-0 at Anfield on Sunday thanks to second-half goals from Andy Robertson and Divock Origi, with the result boosting their Premier League title bid and piling more misery on the relegation-threatened Toffees. Although it took until the 62nd minute for the hosts to break the deadlock, they controlled proceedings throughout and recorded a whopping 83 per cent of possession.
Summing up their dominance, Liverpool attempted 787 passes compared to Everton's 173 with an accuracy of 89 per cent embarrassing their visitors' 54 per cent success rate. One player in blue who endured a particularly torrid outing was Allan, who attempted five passes and completed just one, which happened to be a kick-off.
Sky Sports pointed this out on Instagram and eagle-eyed fans noticed Jota - who came off the bench in the 82nd minute of the derby - was among the many tens of thousands of people to drop a like on the post, rubbing further salt in Allan's wounds. As a result of the Brazil international's ineffectual display, it was no surprise to see Everton boss Frank Lampard withdraw him in the second half and send on Tottenham loanee Dele Alli in his place.
During his 73 minutes on the pitch, Allan won no aerial duels, attempted no dribbles or shots and made just one tackle. In contrast, the other player wearing No. 6 on the pitch, Thiago, continued his world-beating form with a midfield masterclass. The Spaniard attempted 121 passes and completed 119 of those - the most of any player on the pitch - at a success rate of 98 per cent.
Is Thiago the best midfielder in the Premier League? Have your say in the comments!
Liverpool's victory over Everton ensured they remain one point behind Manchester City at the top of the table with five games remaining. Prior to their trip to Newcastle on Saturday, the Reds' focus shifts to Europe as they take on Villarreal in the Champions League semi-finals, with the first leg to be played in front of their own fans at Anfield on Wednesday night.
Jurgen Klopp led his side to an entertaining 6-4 aggregate victory over Benfica to reach the last four and they will face either City or Real Madrid in the final, should they overcome their Spanish opposition, who are managed by former Arsenal boss Unai Emery. Liverpool last won the trophy in 2019, when they defeated Spurs in the final, having suffered an agonising defeat by Los Blancos one year earlier.
