ARNE SLOT left Goodison Park in a red haze amidst mayhem after James Tarkowski scored a stunning equaliser eight minutes into time added on.
Match Report
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.
Slot did warned that one defeat can follow another no matter how good your team might be.
His side may not have lost following the FA Cup shock they suffered at the hands of Plymouth Argyle at the weekend.
But after Mo Salah had produced what looked like a 73rd minute winner, this will still have felt like a loss, no matter that a seven – point gap over second – placed Arsenal still looks like a bridge to far for Mikel Arteta’s men.
Derbies anywhere can take a while to get going. Not this one. Right from the start till that wild, wild ending it frantic, electric, pumped up. Mad. You name it.
Five bookings by half time. As Merseyside derbies want, back in the good old days of Duncan Ferguson, Jamie Carragher, Graeme Sharp, Kenny Dalgish and Ian Riush 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.
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 as he reacted.
Ibrahima 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 returned to his side after Sunday’s shock 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Plymouth Argyle he knew that this line – up wouldn’t be bottling it, a bit like the scratch side did at Home Park.
Least of all Mo 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 the 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 James Tarkowski.
Four minutes into time added on in the first half, Szoboszlai let go with a vicious let 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 Abdoulaye 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 in a 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 with 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 off-side in the build up.
But no technology was needed as Salah won it – not that he or 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 Darwen Nunez’ pass and while Pickford again did well to block the ricochet flew straight to the last man he wanted so see, and goal number 27 of the season was clinically dispatched, Salah’s 35th goal involvement of his 45 games this season.
What Slot couldn’t depend on was a defence that had looked juimpy all night.
And so it was that while a VAR check was made for a foul on Konate in the build – up to Tarkowski’s 98thminute howitzer, almost four minutes of tech checks gave the central defender the equaliser.
It senT David Moyez’ resurgent side a step closer to safety – and Slot, amongst others, wild.
Credit: All Football
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