Ten-man Everton showed the heart and grit needed for a Merseyside derby, only for Mohamed Salah’s 75th-minute penalty and strike with seconds remaining leaving them empty-handed in a clash full of controversy at Anfield.
Having produced glimpses of attacking threat, the Blues were left with an uphill task when Ashley Young was dismissed for a second booking with just 37 minutes on the clock.
Despite the disadvantage, Sean Dyche’s men showed pride for the shirt to keep fighting, limiting Liverpool to few chances.
The major talking points came with 20 minutes to go as Ibrahima Konate brought down Beto with the substitute looking to break clear on halfway. The French defender had been booked moments earlier but, despite echoes of Young’s challenge that saw him shown yellow, the same punishment was not dished out to the hosts.
And it was another refereeing decision that ultimately decided matters with 15 minutes to go, VAR ruling that Michael Keane had handled Luis Diaz’s cross, enabling Salah to net the from the penalty spot.
As Everton piled men forward during nine minutes of added time, the home side ended the battle with a counter-attack that saw Salah score from close ran range.
Manager Dyche named an unchanged XI from the impressive 3-0 home win over Bournemouth before the international break, meaning Dominic Calvert-Lewin once again spearheaded the attack, with Amadou Onana partnering James Garner and Abdoulaye Doucoure in midfield.
Idrissa Gana Gueye – who sustained a minor heel injury in the pre-match warm-up ahead of the Cherries victory – was fit again to take his place on the substitutes’ bench.
Calls from Evertonians for a fast start in the 243rd Merseyside derby were duly met by the Blues within seconds of the first whistle as Dwight McNeil collected a sloppy clearance, moved to the left flank and whipped in a teasing centre that Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed into the arms of Alisson.
It was Liverpool who nearly took a 12th-minute lead, however, when they produced a quick counter from an Everton corner, ending with Dominik Szoboszlai sliding a pass into the path of Luis Diaz on the left side of the area. The Colombian looked odds-on to score only for his finish to be turned over the bar by Ashley Young’s superb lunging block.
The Everton defending was just as brilliant five minutes later. From another Blues corner, Liverpool countered and piled men forward as Diaz sent a low cross into the area that needed a perfectly-timed slide tackle from Onana to thwart the danger.
Dyche’s men were doing well to keep Liverpool’s attacking threat at bay, while reminding their city rivals of their own forward quality in patches. But the contest’s turning point came on 37 minutes as Everton were reduced to 10 men.
Having been booked on 18 minutes for a mistimed challenge on Diaz, Young was shown yellow for a second time for a foul on the same player close to the byline.
Left with a mountain to climb, it was Everton who threatened next despite their numerical disadvantage, McNeil collecting the ball and smashing a 20-yard drive that Alisson had to tip over the bar.
Having gone into the break goalless, Dyche made changes for the start of the second half, Michael Keane and Nathan Patterson coming on for Harrison and McNeil as the Toffees switched to a 5-3-1 formation.
If the plan was to frustrate and limit their opponents, Everton carried that out to a tee up past the hour mark, with the majority of the Anfield crowd getting agitated by the hosts’ inability to break through the Blues’ stubborn defending.
More controversy was to follow when defender Konate – minutes after being booked – clipped the heels of substitute Beto as the Portuguese striker turned him on halfway. The challenge looked similar to the one Young received his first caution for, yet referee Craig Pawson did not follow suit to make the contest 10 v 10.
And it didn’t end there. Moments after VAR ruled out a Liverpool penalty for a Patterson challenge on Diaz, a spot-kick was given on review for a Keane handball from the Colombian’s cross. Salah converted from 12 yards to leave Everton cruelling trailing with 15 minutes remaining.
Arnaut Danjuma was introduced late on as the Blues tried to go more attacking in search of a leveller. But it took a fine save from Pickford to tip Harvey Elliott’s goalbound 25-yard shot over the bar.
Everton’s fighting spirit was summed up during nine minutes of added time when they earned a corner that flashed across the area, only to elude a string of blue shirts.
And as they made one last attempt to bag a point, substitute Darwin Nunez broke forward in a two-on-one with Tarkowski that ended with Salah scoring again.
It meant Everton left Anfield without any points, but having conjured a fighting display that shows there’s plenty of spirit in this squad.
Everton FC
