Four goals, four red cards, one mass brawl plus enough controversy, fury and entertainment to elevate the fixture way above the Premier League norm; the Merseyside derby bid a fitting farewell to Goodison Park.
David “Mystic” Moyes had predicted the 120th and final Goodison derby would, by the nature of an emotionally charged occasion, be explosive. James Tarkowski triggered a detonator under the old place. The Everton captain volleyed in a stunning 98th-minute equaliser to ensure Liverpool went seven points clear in the title race rather than nine.
The historical context meant as much to jubilant Evertonians as rescuing a deserved draw. Mohamed Salah’s late goal put Liverpool on the cusp of a 42nd victory at the home of their oldest rivals. Tarkowski’s even later strike, a fitting final act, kept the Goodison derby scoreline at 41-all. Bedlam ensued.
There were two VAR reviews after Tarkowski lashed Tim Iroegbunam’s flick-on into the roof of Alisson’s net, one for offside and another for a push by Beto on Ibrahima Konaté. When both were cleared – the referee, Michael Oliver, might have feared for his safety had they ruled against Everton – the final whistle sounded almost immediately and Abdoulaye Doucouré celebrated in front of the Liverpool fans. Curtis Jones grabbed the Everton midfielder, sparking a huge fracas. Both were sent off for their second bookable offences of the night. Arne Slot and his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, also received red cards for their furious protests over the decision not to penalise Beto.
Premier League rules prevented Slot from holding a post-match press conference. The anger over his first Merseyside derby may not have subsided by the time he faces the media on Friday.
For Moyes and Everton, however, the final scheduled game under the Goodison floodlights was a night to savour. It was a wild place before, during and after the 245th derby, from the crowds that greeted the team coach before kick-off to the delirium that followed Tarkowski’s spectacular goal.
Everton fed off the energy of the crowd and made a ferocious start that never granted Liverpool a moment to settle. Best make it count. Quick thinking by Jarrad Branthwaite and slow reactions by the Liverpool defence ensured they did. Alexis Mac Allister was penalised for a foul on Iliman Ndiaye. As Liverpool players prepared for a high ball into the box, Branthwaite slipped a quick free-kick between Konaté and Conor Bradley. Beto was alert to the training‑ground routine and sprinted through to place a composed finish under Alisson.
Goodison’s noise levels cranked up to 11 but after witnessing such a well-worked goal the home crowd was soon silenced by a fairly simple equaliser. Not that the timing of Mac Allister’s run into the penalty area or cute header were by any means routine.
Liverpool drew level after their first spell of composed, possession play. Hence Moyes’s objective to disrupt it from the off. The visitors won a corner, taken by Andy Robertson and cleared to Doucouré, who lost possession when attempting to lead a counterattack. Mac Allister ghosted into the box unmarked. Salah found him with a delicious cross from the right and the Argentina midfielder steered a header into the bottom corner. Jordan Pickford reacted too late.
Mac Allister was one of six players in the Liverpool matchday squad who would have missed the derby had it been played as planned on 7 December. Liverpool’s starting lineup was their first without an English player in the Premier League era. Five first‑half bookings confirmed the Merseyside derby still has an edge. Idrissa Gueye and Bradley were both fortunate not to receive a second yellow. Mac Allister flirted with a second yellow, too. Ndiaye left the pitch in tears having been injured following a foul from behind by Dominik Szoboszlai. The in-form Everton forward was knocked off balance by the Liverpool midfielder and jarred his knee when his foot caught the ground.
As for the football, well, there was still plenty of that. Szoboszlai forced Pickford to save a low, powerful drive at full stretch in first-half stoppage time. Tarkowski did just enough to prevent Luis Díaz pouncing on the rebound.
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Everton continued to hassle and harry Liverpool at every turn and created two decent chances to retake the lead in the second half. Both fell to Doucouré. Both went well wide. The first was a free header from a Gueye cross and the second a miscued shot from a Tarkowski pass.
The hosts had a penalty claim rejected when Konaté handled while tussling with Beto inside his area. VAR also confirmed the on-field decision to disallow a Branthwaite goal for offside against Jake O’Brien at a James Garner corner.
Liverpool and Salah had been restricted, rarely troubling Pickford’s goal in the second half. But Salah only ever needs one moment to make his mark. Tarkowski did well to hook away a Díaz cross from the left but Jones, a fresh introduction from the bench, was quicker to the loose ball than Jake O’Brien.
Jones exchanged passes with his fellow substitute Darwin Núñez and, though Branthwaite headed away the midfielder’s shot, the clearance fell perfectly for Salah at the back post. He was never going to miss the invitation. Another slice of Merseyside football history beckoned for Salah but Tarkowski ensured he would score the final derby goal at Goodison when volleying home. A final kick worthy of the grand old stadium.
Source: theguardian.com
