Everton 2 Liverpool 2: James Tarkowski scores 97th minute volley to rescue point in last ever derby at Goodison Park
ARNE SLOT left Goodison Park in a red haze amidst mayhem after James Tarkowski scored a stunning equaliser eight minutes into time added on.
The Dutchman thought he was leaving the last ever Merseyside derby with a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
But memories from his first and last visit to the home of Everton will not have been made of this.
His furious rant at referee Michael Oliver earned him a red card, as he joined Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones and Everton rival Abdoulaye Doucoure in being sent-off after the final whistle.
Before the game, Slot warned that one defeat can follow another no matter how good your team might be, following the shock FA Cup defeat at the hands of Plymouth Argyle.
But after Mo Salah had produced what looked to be a 73rd minute winner, this will still feel like a loss, no matter the seven-point gap over second-placed Arsenal.
Derbies anywhere can take a while to get going. Not this one. Right from the start ’till that wild end it was frantic, electric, pumped up.
Five bookings by half-time. As Merseyside derbies went back in the good old days of Duncan Ferguson, Jamie Carragher, Graeme Sharp, Kenny Dalgish and Ian Rush – this was strictly old school in the Grand Old Lady’s back yard.
Everton made it very clear that they were going for it and winger Jesper Lindstrom asked a serious question of the Liverpool defence with a cross – shot after as the kick-off dust had settled.
By the eleventh minute he and his team-mates were celebrating thanks to Beto’s stunning opener – stunning, mainly, because Slot’s defence was caught stone cold.
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Central defender Jarrad Branthwaite sent forward a quick free-kick from 20 yards inside his own side’s half and the opposition rear guard had no answer.
A striker who has spent most of his time derided as not good enough by the Everton support and very much back-up to Dominic Calvert-Lewin – looked like a world-beater.
https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1889792014247493940Ibrahima Konate did not. He was left for dead by Beto’s run and so was Alisson who had charged off his line but could do nothing about the big striker’s composed right footed finish.
It was the last thing Slot needed but with ten players returning to his side after Sunday’s defeat to Argyle, he knew that this line-up wouldn’t be bottling it, unlike the scratch side did at Home Park.
Least of all Salah. He got the ball on the edge of the Everton box and sent over the most delicious of crosses. He was calm personified.
Alexis Mac Allister read his intentions perfectly, moving forward to produce an impudent back-header that in the 16th minute found the far side of Jordan Pickford’s net before the England No 1 could even move.
Iliman Ndiaye then suffered a knee injury that left him in tears in a clash with Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Senegalese winger has been a ray of hope for the Toffees all season, but he was distraught as he left the pitch, escorted by physios, covering his face in the pain that was clearly as emotional as physical.
Still, Everton, three league wins in a row behind them since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche, stood strong and none more so than Pickford and Tarkowski.
Four minutes into time added on in the first-half, Szoboszlai let go with a vicious left footer that the keeper did very well to parry and as Luis Diaz moved in for the kill Tarkowski on his 100th Everton appearance, was there to nudge clear.
Not long after the break Doucoure should have put his side ahead as he met Idrissa Gueye’s clipped cross but went for power, not placement and ended up holding his head in frustration.
Connor Bradley, one of those cautioned in the first-half, looked like he was losing his clash with the Everton attacking midfielder and Slot replaced him with Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Ryan Gravenberch made way for Curtis Jones.
Who, in the manner of the on-going feisty proceedings, was in referee Michael Oliver’s book within 60 seconds for a lunge on Lindstrom.
Everton were asking plenty of questions and with Beto barn-storming around, ably abetted by Doucoure, Virgil van Dijk and his fellow defenders came under more and more pressure.
Branthwaite thought he’d put the Toffees ahead in the 68th minute as he smashed home but VAR correctly ruled he’d been offside in the build up.
But no technology was needed as Salah scored – not that Slot’s side deserved to leave Goodison with that satisfying bit of local history.
But give Anfield’s Egyptian king an opportunity and almost always you can depend on him to take it.
Jones, calmer now, fired in a shot off sub Darwin Nunez’ pass and while Pickford again did well to block, the ricochet flew straight to the last man he wanted to see, and goal number 27 of the season was clinically dispatched by Salah.
What Slot couldn’t depend on was a defence that had looked jumpy all night.
Despite a four minute VAR check for a possible foul on Konate in the build-up to Tarkowski’s 98th minute howitzer, the goal stood and it sparked a pitch invasion.
It sent David Moyes’ resurgent side a step closer to safety – and Slot, amongst others, wild.