Liverpool were denied the chance to move nine points clear at the top of the Premier League following a 2-2 draw with Everton on Wednesday
Alexis Mac Allister has sent a pointed message to the Liverpool fans following Wednesday’s chaotic 2-2 draw against Everton. Arne Slot’s men were held at Goodison Park after James Tarkowski’s 98th minute strike earned the home side a precious point.
In the last-ever Merseyside derby at Goodison, Everton started the stronger of the two and went ahead in the 11th minute. A smart free-kick from Jarrad Brantwaite saw Beto run clean through on goal and the Portuguese kept his composure to steer past Alisson.
However, Everton’s lead was diminished within five minutes. Liverpool responded and equalised as Mohamed Salah’s in-swinging cross was nodded into the corner by Mac Allister.
From this point, it felt as though the pendulum could swing either way. Everton kept probing up one end, while Liverpool looked a real threat at the other, with Luis Diaz going close just before half-time.
But it was Slot’s Reds who took the lead in the 73th minute. Salah was the first to react at the back post following pinball in the box to fire the ball past a despairing Jordan Pickford.
Just as Liverpool thought they were moving nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and securing a vital win over their city rivals, Everton had the last laugh. Following a long VAR check, Tarkowski’s dramatic stoppage-time volley was allowed to count and both had to settle for a point apiece.
After the final whistle, meanwhile, referee Michael Oliver dished out four red cards. A melee next to the travelling Liverpool fans caused Abdoulaye Doucoure and Curtis Jones to be sent off, while Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were also handed their marching orders.
Although Liverpool are no doubt going be disappointed they couldn’t hold on for the three points, they have moved seven clear of second-place Arsenal in the Premier League title race having now played the same amount of games, and goalscorer Mac Allister insisted ‘nothing stops us’ and the Reds look to continue their momentum into the next game.
There was no Liverpool post-match press conference from Goodison Park after Slot was given a red card. Premier League rules dictate that any player, coach or manager who is shown a red card cannot conduct post-match interviews with the media. Slot’s assistant Hulshoff could not even step in as he was also send off.
Everton manager David Moyes, meanwhile, was not involved in the late red card drama, and told TNT Sports: “Mental probably sums it up. A brilliant finish for us, to finish the last Goodison Merseyside derby and score in the last minute is in a way fitting.
“We would have liked to have won the game but at 2-1 down I was just thinking that we probably weren’t going to get back in, it just looked like Liverpool would keep us out.
We worked hard, kept at it, probably had more attempts in the second half than the first. [Tarkowski] had the quality which was the one that really mattered.”
