Merseyside Derby Talking Points
A fitting derby send-off for the Grand Old Lady.
Goodison Park’s Merseyside derby record finishes Everton 41, Liverpool 41, 38 draws.
Honours even, then, after James Tarkowski lashed in a volley at the Gwladys Street in the 98th minute on Wednesday night to seal a 2-2 draw.
It wasn’t the victory Everton craved; it wasn’t the victory Liverpool needed to go nine points clear at the summit of the Premier League. But Tarkowski’s last-gasp stunner, followed by red cards for Curtis Jones, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Arne Slot and his assistant, was at least a fitting, frantic derby send-off.
Here’s some talking points.
Tarkowski will take the plaudits and snatch the headlines, but his centre-back partner Jarrad Branthwaite turned in a stellar performance that should have seen him named Man of the Match. Branthwiate made 17 clearances, won four of his five duels and blocked two shots. He also teed up Beto’s opener with a perfectly weighted pass from a clever free-kick, and had a goal disallowed for offside. An immense display.
Mohamed Salah was named Man of the Match, and with an assist and a goal to his name, you can see why. Yet the Egyptian was largely kept quiet outside of those incidents. His cross for Alexis Mac Allister’s equaliser was quality, albeit one that still required an excellent header from the Argentine to turn into a goal, and Salah’s finish for Liverpool’s second shows that a world class player doesn’t need to be having his best game to make an impact.
Beto led Everton’s line admirably and was no doubt buoyed by the 11th-minute goal that put the Toffees ahead. He does not possess Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ability to hold the ball up consistently, but against Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, Beto scrapped and hassled for every loose ball. His finish was also cool and composed, as he timed his run to perfection to get onto Branthwaite’s pass and slot a low finish beyond Alisson.
Injuries are mounting for Everton, though. Iliman Ndiaye went off midway through the first half with a knee issue, and the Toffees have to hold out hope that does not prove serious. Ndiaye has been a shining light this season, but was in tears as he left the pitch.
Michael Oliver struggled to keep control. He is probably the best referee PGMOL has to offer, but he certainly failed to keep both sides in check. Understandable, perhaps, though both teams probably have a right to feel aggrieved at some of the decisions. Tempers boiled over at the end, with four red cards dished out.
Virgil van Dijk is arrogant. He is a brilliant defender, so perhaps he has earned that right, but post-match comments that this was Everton’s “cup final” lack the class a Liverpool captain should show.
David Moyes is doing a superb job. Everton’s first-half display in their FA Cup loss to Bournemouth on Saturday fell short of the standards Moyes has set since his return to the club, but those levels were back again on Wednesday. Everton are now 10 points clear of the relegation zone — the absences of so many players will be tough to deal with on Saturday against Crystal Palace, but they are surely now within touching distance of safety.
Liverpool should still win the Premier League, even if Wednesday proved Slot’s side are not infallible. They were largely below par, but they have some superb players who stepped up when it mattered. It is those players that win teams league titles, and Arsenal (sorry, Nottingham Forest fans) will have to show a grit they have not previously displayed if they are to take advantage of any more slip-ups from the Reds, who are seven points clear.
Goodison Park. This was not yet goodbye, but we are now approaching the run-in of the long farewell to the Grand Old Lady. Just six matches remain to be played at the iconic stadium, and as it stands, this will have been the final fixture to be played under the lights. Hopefully, there will still be a few more remarkable moments to come before the season ends.
