Match report and analysis
Updated
Thanks for reading this blog on the night Liverpool were left singing the blues.
Jordan Pickford enjoyed his first ever derby win at Goodison: “Thoroughly deserved. A massive win not for the rivalry, but in the league as we keep pushing - hard work pays off. You have to put the hard yards in and Dominic [Calvert-Lewin] was grafting up there on himself and gets rewarded with a goal. I enjoyed it, the mental side takes it out of you and it’s a great win for the fans and club.”
Wayne Rooney’s stint in the Sky studio has caused ructions. He makes a good point about Van Dijk’s 12.30 whinges: “Again, we’re hearing about 12.30 kick-offs after they’ve just lost a derby. That Liverpool team should want to be out there tomorrow. Get on with it!”
Jurgen Klopp speaks to Sky too, and he all but concedes the title: “Arsenal and Manchester City must have a very bad moment,” he says when asked if Liverpool can still win the title. I don’t know. I can only apologise for today to the people. We should have done better but we didn’t.”
Virgil van Dijk speaks to Sky Sports: ““We have to do much better. If we play like today we have no chance to consider ourselves in the title [race]. I don’t want to speak about the ref because that just an excuse.”
He also complains about having to play at 12.30 on Saturday. It’s Wednesday, Virge. That was a bit of a whinge from the great man.
Here’s Andy Hunter’s report from Goodison Park.
Two Liverpool fans now:
Luke: “Am I the only Liverpool fan that feels relieved by that game? They were never going to win the title. Remember that part about City needing to lose a game!? Now we don’t need to stress about it and it completely feels like the right time for Klopp to go, and no one will feel sad if Salah and Big Virgil leave too. I’d rather see Bobby Clark and Danns and all the young guns with an exciting new manager than anything like this game again.”
Tony: “Well, both rival fans and some of our own have been saying we can’t keep coming from behind every game. The last two weeks have proven that conclusively.
I can’t complain. For most of the season we’ve over performed expectations and it was a good ride. Now everyone’s as exhausted as Klopp. At least ONE half of Liverpool is happy tonight. It’s the happy bits of London and Manchester that bother me.”
Tim Smith gets in touch: “Simply put, it is the pressure of needing to match Arsenal’s win last night. This will be on Man City tomorrow night. It’s been happening in the Championship for the past three weeks. One time when it’s advantageous to play first. Oh and to answer your question: Arne could just advise his forwards to slot home instead of blasting all over the place.”
DB also emails in: “This has been a superb Everton display. Hassling and hustling, set piece and a scrappy goals. Vintage Dyche. With that defence, add a bit of guile further up the pitch and you’d think they should avoid a relegation battle next season. For Liverpool, I fear the next manager could be in for a hiding to nothing. Heads dropped after the second goal. For the future, cash in on Salah in the summer and get a goal scorer. Ivan Toney perhaps?”
Kári Tulinius: “In recent matches, when Liverpool shoot from far out, it seems half-hearted, almost a desperation play. Hitting the target from distance seemed like a notable aspect of their style this season. This had the effect of drawing defenders out to them, creating space. Everton have been able to sit back and close off passing options.”
Andy H: “The counter argument to Rick Harris’s “they’ve not coped with the long goodbye” is that most of Liverpool’s players have just done what most footballers do when their boss announces he’s off in the summer, and they’ve hit the beach. Simply because they can, and what’s he going to do - transfer list then?
“Never underestimate the lily-livered psyche of a footballer who thinks he can take his foot off the gas with no repercussions.”
Grim reading for Liverpool.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 34 | 56 | 77 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 34 | 41 | 74 |
| 3 | Man City | 32 | 44 | 73 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 34 | 21 | 66 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 32 | 16 | 60 |
Happy reading for Everton.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Everton | 34 | -12 | 33 |
| 17 | Nottm Forest | 34 | -18 | 26 |
| 18 | Luton | 34 | -28 | 25 |
| 19 | Burnley | 34 | -32 | 23 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 34 | -59 | 16 |
Full-time: Everton 2-0 Liverpool
One last save from Pickford to deny Mo Salah, It was never going in. Victory is complete. Sean Dyche’s team have pulled off a famous win. And Liverpool’s performance in such an important game will live in infamy. They never showed up. Jurgen Klopp loses his last Merseyside derby, and the title looked beyond his ragged team. They look tired, tired of each other, even. Arne, it’s over to you?
Updated
90+4 min: Calvert-Lewin, such a good player when he’s fit, leaves the field, and to applause. “You’ve lost the league and that’s a fact,” sing the Goodison faithful.
90+3 min: The Liverpool end is emptied. The second-half onslaught never came. And neither now will a valedictory title for the Klopp regime.
90+1 min: Five minutes added on. Liverpool need a miracle from here. Pickford taking an age over a goal kick won’t hasten it along.
Updated
90 min: One last time, Godfrey wins the ball in the air. Harrison was, as ever, backing him up. The corner is cleared, and Elliot forces a nice save from Pickford. One for the cameras.
89 min: Everton fans dancing around. They can barely believe it. They’re staying up. The new ground is imminent and then there’s 777. Still, beating the Reds will do for now. If there’s a better way to stay up, then they’d like to hear it.
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87 min: These are painful moments for Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp wears the pain, too. He’s on the sideline, abject, unable to effect any change. Where did it all go wrong? It does feel like two visits to Old Trafford are what finished him off.
86 min: Calvert-Lewin takes one for the team. He’s ransacked Liverpool. He’s shown the way how to stop Van Dijk dominating too.
84 min: A devastated Trent Alexander-Arnold is subbed off. He pulls his shirt over his head. Tsimikas comes on, as does Gomez. Robertson, who also had a poor game, has gone off, too.
83 min: This feels like Liverpool are sleepwalking to blowing the title and losing at Goodison for the first time since 2010, when Mikel Arteta was an Evertonian.
82 min: Rick Harris gets in touch: “I don’t know who they will Slot in to replace Klopp, but I can’t help feeling it was a massive mistake for the Liverpool manager to announce he was leaving two thirds of the way through the season.
“That news went down like a lead balloon among Liverpool fans and the players look like they are struggling to cope with the long goodbye. Of course Arsenal’s emphatic thrashing of Chelsea last night and their considerable goal difference advantage makes it even harder for the Reds to win the title, but surely you need your team to make more of an effort than this?”
81 min: Trent’s turn to clank the ball over the bar. Liverpool’s shooting has been simply dreadful all night. Item 1 for Arne Slot?
80 min: Patrick Crumlish gets in touch: “Something shifted the day they lost to United in the FA Cup. Ah well. At least they won’t lose the title on the last day despite beating Wolves at home. And may as well play the kids now. Third place is as good as it gets now. “
79 min: Ball falls to Salah on the edge of the box. He misses and badly. It’s not just Darwin.
Updated
78 min: Rupak gets in touch: “As bad Michael Owen is in punditry, his knowledge on finishing is unmatched. Him visibly fuming at Darwin’s miss needs no more explanation on how big of a miss that was.
“Derbies make or break professional footballers’ careers, if Liverpool repeat their finishing form against Man Utd and Crystal Palace in Goodison, there will be serious tensions about Darwin’s stay.”
Doucoure left something in on Mac Allister but VAR seems to be OK with a bit of after.
77 min: Quansah goes long, and that’s meat and drink for Pickford. Too easy. It feels too easy for Everton as a whole. Strange old feeling, especially for Everton.
75 min: Everton make a second change: Gueye’s off, and on comes Amadou Onana. His brief? Stop everything coming past him.
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74 min: The key battle has become Diaz against Godfrey and Harrison. So many other avenues closed down.
72 min: Goodison is becalmed. By nerves, almost certainly. Liverpool are plugging at it, but there are jeers when Robertson smashes the ball out of play.
70 min: Diaz beats Godfrey, clubs it out of the ground and off the post. He still wants this. Elliot, so useful off the bench all season, is finding his passes. There is audible relief when Mac Allister hoiks the ball out of play.
Updated
69 min: Where is the Liverpool of a few weeks ago? The team that should have beaten Manchester City. Not here, not at Goodison.
Updated
68 min: Diaz looks the liveliest of that Liverpool attack. Tarkowski comes across and smashes the ball away from Salah.
66 min: Another Everton corner. Alexander-Arnold has to knock behind. Van Dijk is being menaced by Godfrey. Tarkowski climbs to the next one but Branthwaite – this time – is offside.
Updated
64 min: More panic in the Liverpool box. It takes Robertson to clear when Calvert-Lewin caused more problems, and Harrison’s shot comes in.
63 min: Quansah, Elliot and Endo on: Jones, Szoboszlai and Konate off.
62 min: Liverpool corner. Van Dijk falls to the ground and Pickford claims. Van Dijk is being targeted in both boxes, and it’s working. Three Liverpool subs coming….
60 min: Goodison Park is rocking in a fashion unheard of other than in the club’s great escapes from relegation. What can Klopp to do quieten them?
59 min: Liverpool have 30 minutes to save their title bid. Calvert-Lewin headed that in like Bob Latchford or Graeme Sharp. Purest Ev.
Updated
Goal! Everton 2-0 Liverpool (Calvert-Lewin, 58)
What a ball from the corner. McNeil whips it in, Van Dijk gets caught out, and Calvert-Lewin heads down. Well well.
Updated
57 min: This time, Harrison is used. And he plays it to McNeil. A lash that Alisson has to tip over. Everton corner.
55 min: Decent Everton attack, with Gueye and Doucoure at the centre. Gueye shoots when Harrison was – again – the better option. That sets off a Diaz scamper, and a scuff at Pickford.
53 min: Feels like it will be all Liverpool, all this half. Jurg is feeling the urge on the sidelines. Everton look to the counter but then Calvert-Lewin, with Harrison square and in space, decides to shoot from the halfway line. Sean Dyche is raging at that.
Liverpool go down the other end, and Robertson swings and misses. He was offside, to save his blushes.
51 min: Liverpool will have to be patient, just when urgency is beginning to build. Branthwaite steps across to knock behind. Another corner. Idrissa Gueye sweeps that one up.
49 min: Garner with a fine tackle on Jones stops Liverpool getting away with speed. Everton get back in shape and force Liverpool back and back and back to Alisson.
48 min: This time, Van Dijk wins the aerial battle but misses the target.
47 min: Jurgen Klopp, in cap, is deep in contemplation as Everton again start with some ferocity. His team try and pass the ball from the back and Gueye hammers it behind for a corner.
46 min: We are back at Goodison Park, where as predicted, Mykolenko has come off for Ashley Young, the second oldest outfield player in the Premier League.
Scott Blair: “If you’re still allowing Tull references, Liverpool aren’t that far away from snatching their rattling last breath.”
Annabelle gets in touch: “This game has been pretty bleak viewing. I just asked my husband what changes Klopp should make at half-time. “Eleven changes,” he suggested, with only a slight asinine edge. It’s ANZAC Day here. We will remember them.”
Kev McCready gets in touch: “This is embarrassing. Other than Trent, LFC have no creative edge. And when did Mo Salah turn from baby-faced assassin to Kevin Bond?“
Drew: “Slot’s job seems fairly straightforward; find a place in Liverpool that stocks shooting boots since everywhere seems to have been sold out for months.”
Alistair Lawrence is in: “Forgive me chiming in from pedant’s corner, but John Stones is arguably more a product of Barnsley’s talent factory. He’s definitely the reason my Super Reds supporting mate owns home and away England shirts with Stones’ name and number on them, in any case.”
Half-time: Everton 1-0 Liverpool
The best team are winning but the team who have made the most chances are coming for them. Liverpool were rotten for the first 30 minutes, and it took Everton’s goal to wake them up. Half-time comes just as they take control. They have 45 minute to stay in the title race. Everton are 45 minutes from safety.
45+4 min: Everton try to send Doucoure away but he’s offside. They will be happy with the time that takes. Liverpool take up the cudgels, but Everton are defending just as demonically as before.
45+2 min: Everton have been sat back a little on their lead. Are they tired? They probably should be. Konate has to stop Harrison and McNeil forging something.
45 min: Liverpool’s shooting has been awful. Alexander-Arnold moves centrally, Nunez’s flick is decent, and Salah swings and shanks wide. All three attackers now have missed big ones.
Six minutes added on to the half. Mostly VAR time.
44 min: Liverpool’s best chance? No, Diaz had less to aim at than Nunez and Pickford smuggles the ball away. Mykolenko is still out there, limping.
43 min: Oh no! Mykolenko’s taken a horrible fall, and is doubled in pain. He was twisting his ankle as he came down. Ashley Young looks to be coming on. Mykolenko is a brave boy, and he’s sat up, even stood up. His ankle went right over in a collision with Nunez. He’s going to try and run it off! Ukrainians, made of stern stuff, but we all knew that.
41 min: Tarkowski heads away from a Robertson cross. Neither of Liverpool’s full-backs have been able to make too much of an overlap.
39 min: Branthwaite, by the way. The new John Stones but with goals? He’s some player, classy. Everton continues to be a factory of talent, whatever the state of the rest of the club.
37 min: Get down to Goodison Park as the song rings out. Van Dijk is booked on his least favourite ground, for dissent. The cool man is losing his head. Diaz had been fouled but the Dutchman ran over to rail at the ref.
35 min: Branthwaite, such a prospect, steps in, and clears the ball as Szoboszlai tries to make an incursion. The ball comes back out to Nunez, and he blasts it at Pickford. Too easy. Diaz and Mac Allister had laid it on a plate. What a miss that is.
Updated
33 min: Is it time to start wondering what Arne Slot has to fix in this Liverpool team? And can Jurgen Klopp fix it? This has been a meek surrender when the title is very much on.
31 min: Virgil van Dijk, whose form has dipped this season, it feels fair to say, is returning to the scene of his ACL injury. He and Konate are being put under pressure by Everton bypassing the Liverpool midfield.
29 min: Oh, there was rebellion in the air if that was ruled out. Thankfully, it wasn’t. For Everton, that is. Liverpool may ask what happened to their defence.
VAR rules the goal is OK!
28 min: VAR are looking at it, as they do. A delay. Another delay. Where’s the offside this time? Calvert-Lewin was initially offside, but was Branthwaite, who hit the shot. It had crossed the line by the time DLC had got there and Branthwaite was onside.
Goal! Everton 1-0 Liverpool (Branthwaite, 27)
That’s the chaos Everton wanted to cause. McNeil’s ball has a few players swinging away, and now there’s Branthwaite’s shot, and the ball is creeping over the line and Calvert-Lewin slides in to make sure!
Updated
25 min: Everton full of derby determination, Liverpool way off it at the moment. Nothing happening from them. Calvert-Lewin is fouled by Konate, who has been given a buffeting all night from DLC.
23 min: Gueye bravely picks up the ball when the need to clear a corner was grave. Liverpool beginning to move further and further forward. Salah has been anonymous so far.
22 min: Liverpool corner, and Mykolenko heads clear. Again, Everton dominate the skies. Very impressive from Everton so far at both ends.
20 min: Dyche can be heard, urging on his team as Tarkowski wins another header in the Liverpool box. Nunez meanwhile misreads a ball aimed for him to chase.
19 min: Liverpool have been sluggish, despite dominating possession. Not much happening in the forward line. Calvert-Lewin meanwhile is all over Konate, who is struggling with a player who was a doubt for the game.
17 min: Another set-piece chance for Everton. Tarkowski loops a header back across and Calvert-Lewin makes Alisson make a save. Everton control the skies here. Van Dijk was nowhere near that.
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16 min: The game seems to have settled after that early excitement. But Everton seem to fancy this more than Liverpool.
15 min: Everton take their time when the ball is with Pickford. That’s a feature of their play. It’s not a very entertaining one, either.
13 min: Everton chance! Gueye is fouled, and McNeil takes the free-kick. Ben Godfrey is at the back post and really could have done far better. That’s got to register as a big miss.
12 min: Jordan Pickford smashes the ball deep into the Liverpool half. No second ball retention. This is Dycheball.
10 min: Salah has a dig after a lovely chip from Alexander-Arnold. This is all happening. Surely this cannot end as a 0-0.
Updated
9 min: Liverpool got away with that one. Though by the letter of the law, it’s offside. So Everton’s boos of injustice are misguided. Still, adds to the gaiety of nations, right? Still, Alisson: lucky boy.
Penalty ruled out!
8 min: Oh, here’s VAR. Was Calvert-Lewin offside when Harrison played the ball? Yes, says VAR David Coote. It takes a long time to come. Alisson’s yellow card is rescinded, too.
Updated
Penalty to Everton!
5 min: Calvert-Lewin is baulked by Alisson. Harrison’s ball, and Alisson has knocked him over. Is he sent off?
Updated
4 min: Nunez escapes, and plays in Diaz. Mykolenko has to clear his lines.
3 min: Branthwaite’s ball to Harrison is a beauty, he cuts in, and the cross comes in. McNeil directs it back across goal but Doucoure’s finish is weak.
2 min: Mac Allister drops deep and will be the playmaker. Plenty of space for him there. The ball ends up with Pickford, who takes his time and then launches it to the skies.
And away we go at Goodison!
1 min: Sean Dyche and Jurgen Klopp shared the manliest of hugs as the game got underway. Big roars as McNeil and Alexander-Arnold roar into the first tackle.
The teams are out at Goodison Park. As it stands, and barring relegation next season, is this the penultimate Goodison derby? That all depends on the building work by the dockside, right? Personally, have always loved the old place. Football as it was.
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This is the song you will hear wherever Everton fans are. It sounds a bit like Joe Fagin’s Auf Wiedersehen, Pet material and maybe the theme from Murphy’s Mob.
They especially love doing the “wooooo” bit.
David Bowen gets in touch: “Of all the comments made of Chelsea surely the most damning has just been offered by Jurgen Klopp: ‘I watched the first five minutes and thought okay that’s enough’.”
Some brief Sean Dyche, skipping that question of whether Ashley Young was dropped after that City Ground farrago: “We’re trying to bring a freshness and keep everybody as fit as they can. We’ve got another big game coming up at the weekend but this is obviously our focus right now.”
Cody Gakpo is missing, by the way, as his wife is expecting their child.
Some more words on Arne Slot, from Sander Westerveled, former Liverpool goalkeeper on a friend and former teammate. “People ask me if I knew back then he would be a coach. You could see he was one of those. He was already a perfectionist. Only football, football, football and he was always talking about tactics and everything. I think it’s a perfect fit for Liverpool and hopefully he will sign.”
Gareth Bradley gets in touch: “I thought I might bring up the point of players complaining about being tired at this stage of the season and point you in the direction of Buckie Thistle winning their 12th title over Brechin City after dramatic final day. Six wins in thirteen days put paid to my team, Brechin City, winning the Highland League. Of course the Buckie Thistle players will have full time work and/or studying to contend with as well.”
How about this lot last season?
Wayne Rooney is in the Sky studio tonight: ““I think Everton need another win to make sure they are safe this season. Any time you are playing against Liverpool, it’s a huge game. I’m expecting Everton to come out with a lot of energy.
“I think tonight Everton have to play as stronger a team as they can, which Sean Dyche has done. They need to try and get points in the bag quickly. If you beat Liverpool, it can be a huge lift for the club. It hasn’t been an easy fixture over the years but hopefully tonight they will be a bit happier.”
Gary J Byrne: “With Liverpool’s penalty taker Mo Salah back in the starting line-up, I’m naturally disappointed Ashley Young has been left out of the Everton team.”
For the record, here’s the officials: Referee: Andy Madley. Assistants: Harry Lennard, Nick Hopton. Fourth official: Simon Hooper. VAR: David Coote. Assistant VAR: Lee Betts.
Joe Pearson gets in touch: “Not surprised Young is on the bench, since he got sent off in the reverse fixture in October. To riff on your Football Daily Jethro Tull reference, maybe Dyche thinks he’s too old to rock and roll, too Young to die.”
Jurgen Klopp’s final Merseyside derby, of course, his 19th.
Record won 11, drawn six, lost one.
Updated
For Everton: Ashley Young, after his lucky escapes at Forest, is replaced at right-back by Ben Godfrey and James Garner comes in for Andre Gomes in midfield. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit to start.
For Liverpool: Six changes from Fulham. Mohamed Salah, Alexis Mac Allister and Darwin Nunez, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Ibrahima Konate all come in.
Out: Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Jarrell Quansah, with Diogo Jota unavailable.
The teams
Everton: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Harrison, Gueye, Garner, McNeil, Doucoure, Calvert-Lewin. Subs: Keane, Onana, Danjuma, Virginia, Young, Andre Gomes, Chermiti, Warrington, Hunt.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Jones, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Salah, Nunez, Diaz. Subs: Gomez, Endo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Clark, Kelleher, Danns, Quansah.
Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)
For those who count these things, and this is the only derby that seems to count up, this is the the 244th Merseyside derby.
Liverpool are chasing their 100th win, Everton their 68th. The 0-0 would be a 78th draw.
All-time top-scorer: Ian Rush, 25, next best Dixie Dean on 19
Currently playing top scorer: Mohamed Salah on 7.
Here’s the talk about a successor to Jurgen Klopp.
Early team news:
For Everton: Dominic Calvert-Lewin is an injury doubt, problematic when Beto will miss the next two games in line with head injury protocols.
For Liverpool: Diogo Jota’s dead-eye finishing will be missed after his goal against Fulham though aside from Conor Bradley’s absence, Klopp has a full deck available, beyond the likes of Thiago and and Stefan Bajcetic.
Liverpool cannot go top of the table, barring a 13-0 win.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 34 | 56 | 77 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 33 | 43 | 74 |
| 3 | Man City | 32 | 44 | 73 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 34 | 21 | 66 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 32 | 16 | 60 |
Everton can pull away from the bottom three.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Everton | 33 | -14 | 30 |
| 17 | Nottm Forest | 34 | -18 | 26 |
| 18 | Luton | 34 | -28 | 25 |
| 19 | Burnley | 34 | -32 | 23 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 33 | -57 | 16 |
Preamble
Good evening. How many headlines can fit the word “Slot” in? Liverpool are moving fast, it seems, with appointing a new manager, but what about the outgoing bloke? There’s still a title race to be fought for. And Jurgen Klopp is no quitter. The weekend’s defeat of Fulham recharged hopes and batteries. Talking of which, so did Everton’s defeat of Nottingham Forest, achieved by a long-range goal from an Idrissa Gueye long-ranger and a Dwight McNeil strike. And/Or the dread hand of Stuart Attwell according to certain conspiracy theorists in the City Ground inner sanctum. Everton play Luton next week, the game that probably decides their fate. Before that the Merseyside derby, the one at Goodison that usually finishes 0-0. It has, four of the last six years. We all know the drill: Liverpool attacking, Everton defending doggedly and some bad tackles flying in, and being waved away by refs when normally the cards would be being waved. That’s bad tackles by both teams, by the way.
Kick-off is 8pm, Merseyside time. Join me.
