Wednesday evening’s Merseyside derby was as intense as so many of its predecessors. As they have so often in recent weeks, Jurgen Klopp’s team began the game sloppily, handing Everton the advantage in a crucial game for both sides.
VAR ruled out an early penalty for the home side for offside but one of the most slapdash goals of the entire Premier League season put Everton into the lead midway through the first half. Liverpool fought back, but their other constant current issue — wayward finishing — ensured Sean Dyche’s team led at half-time.
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And Everton continued where they left off in the second half, doubling their lead through a Dominic Calvert-Lewin header on 58 minutes. Once again, Liverpool dominated possession but could not break down their dogged neighbours. Their dreams of a 20th league title in Klopp’s final season are surely over, as are Everton’s relegation fears.
Here, Andy Jones and Patrick Boyland answer some of the key questions from tonight’s game at Goodison Park.
How bad were Liverpool in the first half?
Liverpool could not have started Jurgen Klopp’s final derby more poorly if they had tried.
They were second best by a distance to an Everton team who were hungrier and sharper than Liverpool despite the dire title-race implications if they took anything less than three points from Goodison Park.
A terrible start culminated in going behind to Jarrad Branthwaite’s 27th-minute effort in a goal befitting of the scrambled brains Liverpool were displaying.
After Liverpool had conceded another cheap free kick, Branthwaite won the initial header although it came off his shoulder. Alexis Mac Allister’s initial header was only cleared to the edge of the box. Alexander-Arnold completely missed his header, which allowed Everton to play the ball back into the box.
Jack Harrison squared the ball to Ben Godfrey who saw his shot blocked by Ibrahima Konate and cannon off his body. Konate then flashed his leg at the ball when Mac Allister was set to clear the danger behind him.
The sliced clearance span across straight to the Everton centre-back. Alisson got a fair amount of his body on the ball but could only divert it onto the post and it spun agonisingly over the line.
Jarrad Branthwaite has set Goodison Park on fire! 🔥🔵 pic.twitter.com/d7KvmOcbgr
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 24, 2024
Everton deserved their lead while Liverpool were left looking at each other with hands outstretched and an inquest ongoing.
Liverpool won only 25 per cent of the duels in the first half. In their most important game of the season, in a Merseyside derby they had to win, Klopp’s team were timid and failed to show up.
Andy Jones
Were Liverpool’s front three to blame?
Darwin Nunez. Luis Diaz. Mohamed Salah. Liverpool’s front three, so often so potent but not on this occasion.
They all had big chances, they all should have found the back of the net — none of them did.
After Everton took the lead, Liverpool finally began to play attacking football and look somewhat like themselves.
It culminated in a host of excellent chances but, as was the case in the 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, Liverpool were let down by their poor finishing and lack of composure.
When Nunez took the ball in his stride after 35 minutes the goal gaped. Placement was needed but, as can happen with Nunez, he chose power, blasting the ball at Jordan Pickford’s legs.
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Diaz did similar minutes later. A trickier chance, but one a player of his quality would expect to do better from. Again his shot was straight at Pickford.
Salah’s first chance didn’t come until the final minutes of the half but he also hadn’t brought his shooting boots. A lay-off from Nunez found Salah in the centre of the box. His first shot was blocked but was travelling wide, and his second sailed harmlessly over the bar.
Liverpool’s quality in front of goal has evaporated in recent weeks, coinciding with their slip in form — Nunez and Salah suffering especially. Despite positive signs at Fulham, at Goodison Park they fell back into the bad habits they have developed. It cost them hugely.
Andy Jones
Everton’s most important night of the season?
Sean Dyche’s teams may be known for their set-piece prowess, but the extent of their aerial dominance against Virgil van Dijk and co still came as a surprise.
Everton bullied Liverpool from free kicks and corners, with both goals coming via that avenue. For the first, Branthwaite fired under Alisson at the back post after the visitors had failed to clear their lines. The second was a Dyche favourite: McNeil’s superb inswinging corner converted by Calvert-Lewin in front of the Gwladys.
It was a leap reminiscent of Calvert-Lewin at his best, as he towered over Van Dijk to convert. After a lengthy barren run in front of goal, the striker is finding form again and now has three in his last three starts. Everton had already threatened from set pieces before that, with Ben Godfrey and Calvert-Lewin both going close.
After half an hour, Dyche’s side had won a staggering 75 per cent of their duels, comfortably the most in the league this season. They started quickly, got in Liverpool’s faces and won their battles as Dyche had requested pre-game.
This was Everton’s best performance of the season, a massive victory in their battle for survival, and owed much to their combative edge.
Patrick Boyland
Are Liverpool’s title hopes now over?
There are ways to see your title challenge end – ideally in a blaze of glory. Then there are the worst ways to see it go up in flames.
This is as bad as it gets. A defeat to your local rivals smashing any hopes of the perfect send-off for Jurgen Klopp to smithereens.
It has been on the cards for several weeks. With the pressure on and the destiny of the title in their hands, Liverpool’s last four league games have led to one win, one draw and two defeats — in addition to FA Cup and Europa League exits in recent months.
This was one of their worst performances of the season. So many players struggled with their first touch, others with decision-making and they played into Everton’s hands, repeatedly handing them set pieces. Only Luis Diaz can come out of the game with any credit.
Liverpool had to win their final six games and hope Manchester City and Arsenal would slip up. They began with a 3-1 victory over Fulham but the defensive issues and attacking problems that have plagued them in recent weeks returned. Asking for one mistake from Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta’s sides’ was a lot; hoping for two is a dream.
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The season’s climax has become a nightmare. A title challenge was an overachievement for this new-look team in their first season together, but to have come so far and faded so poorly is a huge disappointment.
The efforts of the campaign and the accumulation of injuries have caught up to them, but that is not the sole factor their performance levels have disappeared. This was a derby and Liverpool simply failed to turn up.
Jurgen Klopp had never lost a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. He has now — and it is the worst one he could have lost. His farewell, which at one time promised so much, looks set to end with just the Carabao Cup.
Andy Jones
What did Klopp say?
The Liverpool manager apologised to the club’s fans after the defeat at Everton.
“I really feel for the people. I am really sorry for that,” Klopp said.
“People told me so often what a great record we have in the derby. We never lost here before and it feels really different. I really apologise for that. It was unnecessary but it happened.
“I have no good thoughts at all. Very disappointed and frustrated. It was not good enough. We let the game happen the way Everton wanted. They scored two goals from set-pieces.
“We need a crisis at City and Arsenal and we need to win football games. If they start losing all their games and we do what we did tonight then nothing will change and we’re not safe in the Champions League (places) either.
GO DEEPER
Klopp apologises for Everton defeat: 'I am really sorry for that'
What next for Liverpool?
Saturday, April 27: West Ham (A), Premier League, 12.30 BST, 7.30 ET
Liverpool go for a sixth win in a row against West Ham and their third of the season, after a 3-1 league victory in September and a 5-1 demolition in the Carabao Cup just before Christmas, both at Anfield.
What next for Everton?
Saturday, April 27: Brentford (H), Premier League, 17.30 BST, 12.30 ET
Everton will try to complete a league double over Brentford after winning 3-1 in west London in September.
Recommended reading
- Is Mohamed Salah declining at Liverpool – or just evolving?
- How players deal with the pressure of a title race: ‘It’s an obsession – it changes your life’
- Many Premier League champions have ‘choked’ – the true test is can you recover in time
- How Fabio Carvalho was rejuvenated on loan at Hull – and does he have a Liverpool future?
(Top photo: Getty Images)