Everton can’t bridge quality gap as Anfield derby follows the script
Not for the first time, Moyes will be ruing a glaring miss by Beto that, had he converted it, would have given the Toffees something to hang on to rather than end up chasing the game
This was unlikely to be the game where David Moyes ended his long wait for a first victory at Anfield. Despite being pushed all the way by an Everton side that, on another night might have got something had they taken their chances, Liverpool underlined their superiority by doing just enough (with a little help from a ridiculous loophole in the rules) to win this latest edition of the Merseyside derby. But it wasn’t as emphatic as the 39 points that separate the two clubs would suggest.
Not for the first time since he returned as Everton manager, Moyes will be ruing a glaring miss by Beto that, had he converted rather than rapping his shot off the post, would have given the Toffees something to hang on to rather than end up chasing the game in the last half hour after Diogo Jota had broken the deadlock.
He will also have made plenty of notes as part of the ongoing analysis of the squad that he and his staff are undertaking ahead of what promises to be a very busy summer transfer window. Some players with imminently expiring contracts will not have helped their cause but, in general, the takeaway was that the Everton that kicks off 2025/26 will need to be much better with the ball at their feet. Industry and the occasional threat on the breakaway will only take you so far.
Ironically, though, had the Blues been able to capitalise on three key counter-attacking opportunities, they might have at least avoided a fourth successive Anfield derby defeat. A fractional delay by Beto in starting his run in one instance, a more composed finish by the Portuguese in another, or better decision-making by Jack Harrison in the third instance might have yielded a precious goal rather than more frustration at Everton’s failings in the final third.
With Vitalii Mykolenko making a surprisingly quick recovery from the injury that forced him out of Ukraine’s Nations League defeat to Belgium last week and Iliman Ndiaye only deemed fit enough to make the bench, the starting XI was in line with expectations. Abdoulaye Doucouré’s legs and work-rate were prioritised over the mercurial and unpredictable talents of Jesper Lindstrøm in combination with Charly Alcaraz in the middle.
The Argentine was again deployed as a square peg in a round hole wide on the left again but he was involved in much of what Everton did positively in the first period, including having the visitors’ first shot in anger with 16 minutes gone, a drive from the left side of the penalty area that was blocked by a Reds defender.
By that stage Liverpool, who, predictably enough, were having the better of the opening exchanges, had had an effort of their own through Jota repelled by Jarrad Branthwaite, seen Dominik Szoboszlai whip a free-kick narrowly wide, and then had their pleas for a red card for James Tarkowski waved away by referee, Sam Barrott. The defender clattered through Alexis Mac Allister with a heavy follow-through that caught the midfielder above the knee and he was probably fortunate that VAR Paul Tierney didn’t view it as serious foul play.
Struggling to play their way through their hosts, the Blues’ biggest threat was the ball in behind for Beto and when Tarkowski’s arcing punt from deep in his own box dropped over the his head and behind Virgil van Dijk, the striker did well to stretch out a telescopic leg and prod the ball between Caoimhín Kelleher’s legs. Agonisingly, though, the flag went up for offside and stills from the VAR showed that Beto had been marginally offside.
Jota blasted across Jordan Pickford’s goal and wide while Idrissa Gueye allowed Mohamed Salah to ghost in at the back post to test the keeper with a header but in the 33rd minute, it should have been 1-0 Everton. Doucouré picked up the former Udinese man’s knockdown and immediately played him into space in Liverpool’s half. His first touch was loose but Van Dijk made a mess of trying to claim it, giving Beto an open one-on-one chance against Kelleher but though he swept it wide of the goalkeeper, he was dismayed to see his shot crash off the post and back into play.
It wasn’t until the end of the half that either side fashioned another chance, when Pickford was grateful to gather Ryan Gravenberch’s drilled effort after it took a heavy deflection of Tarkowski while, at the other end, the ball sat up nicely for Alcaraz but his shot looped over after striking a defender’s leg.
For all their undoubted superiority in terms of quality, Liverpool still weren’t. causing Pickford too many problems as the game moved towards the hour mark. Mykolenko had been doing his usual job of keeping Salah largely under wraps and the solid defensive shape was preventing the Reds from making inroads into the Blues’ area.
However, after Doucouré had compromised a decent opening with a poor cut-back for Alcaraz that resulted in the on-loan forward’s shot being charged down, Harrison had wasted an even more promising breakaway with an awful pass to no one in the box and Pickford had parried Gravenberch’s strong effort, Arne Slot’s men took the lead.
Of course, it being a derby, it wasn’t without controversy. Luis Diaz was in a clearly offside position when Gravenberch attempted to pick him out with a pass into the Toffees’ area but Tarkowski ensured it wouldn’t reach the Colombian by stretching to intercept. In so doing, though, he allowed Jota to nip the ball away from James Garner, Diaz back-heeled into his path and, after shimmying wide of Branthwaite, the diminutive Portuguese wrong-footed Pickford to slide home.
Afterwards, Moyes was incredulous that the goal had been allowed to stand but, because he had not impeded Tarkowski or blocked his view of the ball, the officials will argue that, by letter of the law, Diaz had not interfered with play. Never mind that his very presence had forced the defender to take evasive action or that he was immediately involved in the play when he touched it back to Jota...
Unfortunately, that was more or less that in what was a largely poor half from Everton. Moyes eventually responded, first by withdrawing the woeful Harrison in favour of Ndiaye and then making a treble change that saw Garner, Beto and, for some reason, Alcaraz depart with Tim Iroegbunam, Armando Broja and Ashley Young coming on. Youssef Chermiti was a later replacement for Doucouré and either side of that, Everton were awarded a handful of set-pieces but were unable to create anything meaningful with them.
So the contest ended with what many would have felt was the most likely outcome — a Liverpool win, albeit a hard-fought one where they rode their luck in the first half and had to be grateful for another miscue in front of goal from Beto.
Where Moyes and Everton are concerned, the visit of Arsenal on Saturday is a relatively quick turnaround and it will be interesting to see whether the gaffer makes any adjustments to the side based on what he saw at Anfield this evening. Looking beyond, the need to add quality in the forward areas won’t be lost on anyone.
Reader Responses
Selected thoughts from readers03/04/2025 09:04:21
Agree Jamie with all you've written. Diaz may not have 'attempted to play the ball' but by being in an offside position his team gained a huge advantage in that Tarkowski had to make an awkward lunge instead of just being able to punt the ball cleanly away! Really gets my goat and typical that it's that lot that gain advantage of that 'loophole' in the law or poor application thereof.
As to the game I'm not disheartened and agree with your summary.
It always hurts to get beaten by that lot but we've seen they don't like the physicality and add a bit more quality in attack and we'll hopefully under Moyes start to lay to rest some ghosts.
Not an easy job to keep the steel while adding some silk but we can at least start looking up.
Tough run of games but play like this and with better finishing we'll hopefully get mathematically safe.
03/04/2025 09:26:01
Jamie I agree 100/%.
the positioning of the offside Player, in question, Can also distract our goalkeeper and provoke general pandemonium.
Although, we can’t compensate for the consistently amateurish performances, of Harrison and very often Doucore.
I personally thought that Alcaraz and Doucore ‘s roles should have been reversed.
I thought Alcaraz had too far to run, and could have better linked up with Beto, in a more advanced Role.
Doucore often needs more than one touch and his passing, for want of a better word, is.. Shite!
All that said, what an irksome litlle Tit, that Jota is.
03/04/2025 10:52:59
Lyndon, you said about Moyes taking notes I had a few of my own!
Pickford - Thought he was back to his erratic ways. Struggled on the corners and was fortunate a foul had already been given when he took Nunez out.
O’Brien - worst game at right back and struggled with Diaz. Seemed to lack confidence
Mykolenko - had Salah in his pocket
Harrison - awful game. Not sure he found a blue shirt or decent cross all night
Doucoure - does ok off the ball chasing, closing down etc but when in possession no positive contribution
Beto - shows again he is a one trick pony. Willing runner for the through ball, and dangerous finishing in those situations, but poor in the air, can’t hold the ball and bring others into the game
N’diaye - I’m not convinced he is fit. Heavy strapping on his leg and barely touched the ball in the 25 minutes he was on
03/04/2025 13:02:44
There are a lot of questions being asked by the Media this morning, as to why Tarks wasn’t sent of, for that tackle on one of their Darlings.
But, not many questions, as to why their goal wasn’t ruled out, for offside.
This is glaring Bias.
I live in hope, that in the not to distant future, we can smear it all over their Faces!
whoops ! I’m starting to Sound like Kevin Keegan!
03/04/2025 14:04:24
Paul Conway -
I fear Alcaraz will become the "Leon Osman" of this Moyes tenure.
What I mean by that is simply a player played out of position constantly. Osman was a center mid. I thought the guy had sublime technical ability and was a natural central midfielder. My recollection was that Moyes constantly played him out wide, where I thought most of his talent was absolutely wasted.
Alcaraz should play behind the striker. He's an attacking player, and he's wasted, in my opinion, in another position.
I'm hoping Duke leaves the club soon - and I wish him no ill will, he hustles, he kept us up with his goal a few years ago for crying out loud - and Alcaraz slots in where he belongs, at the 10.
03/04/2025 14:05:58
John Chambers -
Myko was marvelous yesterday. Salah did nothing. Salah, although a red, is a joy to watch play football. He's amazing.
Last night he did nothing. Myko just took him out of the game completely.
03/04/2025 15:05:40
Paul (5), the thing about the Tarkowski incident is it wasn’t a tackle, it was a pass… or at least a clearance in Beto’s direction. That’s why he kicked it with such power and why his foot was in that open position that looks so awful on freeze frame. Yes, there was a lot of force involved and I guess I can see why some think it was a red… but In my opinion I think the fact people keep calling it a ‘tackle’ or a ‘challenge’ is half the problem here.
03/04/2025 16:00:04
I agree with Duncan. It was a clearance, the RS was attempting to block the clearance. Nothing to see here.
03/04/2025 17:56:06
Full disclosure: it was a very bad challenge and we couldn’t have had any complaints had he seen red for it.
Tarkowski does have previous for this type of thing, having almost put Richardson into orbit via the Paddock while playing for Burnley at Goodison a few years back. Naturally, we were all fuming at the time……
What I find interesting is the way that this has now turned into a witch hunt, with seemingly every pundit out there trying to outdo the others in their condemnation. I remember Gerrard’s so-called tackle on Gary Naismith and Dirk ‘nice guy’ Kult’s assault on Phil Neville around the same time. I don’t recall there being anything like this level of vitriol over either of them, despite there being, if anything, much more malice aforethought on both of those occasions.
Most TV outlets are infested with ex-LFC players, and with plenty of fanboys amongst the Fourth Estate also, there will always be a one-way shrill chorus.
As a result, then should Tarkowski so much as cough close to one of theirs in the next Derby, then he might well be sent off. I hope Moyes is alive to the possibility and may detect a small but significant ‘injury’ to keep him out the firing line. Better than playing them a man short.
03/04/2025 21:36:15
Tony Killen 10
This nauseating Bias has been going on for Decades.
If it’s not the Media, it’s referees who try to nobble us.
The following is a Quote from Howard Kendall, after the 3-1 loss to them:
« We hadn’t really looked in any danger, we were dictating the game.
but defensively you cannot do the things we did and get away with it, because a team like Liverpool Will punish you. »
As for the « blatant penalty » for Nichol’s first - half challenge on Sharp ?
« From where I was sitting Sharp had a free header and for him not to touch it there must have been an infringement.
I believe my opinion will be proved right when I see if again, just as it was two years ago in the Milk Cup Final when Hansen handled. It was the same referee, too.
So we could have gone in at half - time 2-0 ahead.
I know it’s going to sound like sour grapes, but incidents like that are turning points and I can’t help but mention it.
Et Voila! And I’m sure it will continue into the far Distant Future.
03/04/2025 21:44:03
Forgot to mention, that those quotes were immediately after the 1986 FA Cup Final loss to them.
03/04/2025 22:23:09
The Premier League is unforgiving. Having been able to talk up a nine game unbeaten run our narrative may now switch to five games without a win or only one win in eight matches in all competitions. We have also failed to keep a clean sheet in those eight matches.
Once again the limitations of our players, all of whom are willing and honest individuals, were brutally exposed against a team with much higher quality albeit not firing on all cylinders. The counter attacking tactics adopted last night were our only hope of obtaining anything from the game. Unfortunately we were too frequently let down by terrible passing.
With a further four very tough fixtures this month the manager needs to find a way of making the defence watertight while making more effective use of the ball on the counter. It is a familiar dilemma with which all of our recent managers have wrestled.
03/04/2025 23:29:32
I’d love to see some of you guys playing football. You end up on your arses every time you kick the ball?
Tarkowski went into an 80/ 20 contest (in his favour) as if it were a 50/ 50. There was miles too much (completely unnecessary) forwards momentum and follow-through. And he’s got ‘previous' as Tony Killen has pointed out.
Jamie C, it’s not an uncommon call for an offside player to be judged to be ‘not interfering with play’ if they don’t actually try to compete for the ball. Often suspect but not uncommon.
Leon Osman had bags of skill / technique but lacked the requisite physicality to be a truly competitive centre mid. No pace, little strength equals not a world beater.
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03/04/2025 04:42:40
Can someone please explain to me how their goal wasn't offside?
Their player (can't remember who) was miles offside, came back, interfered with play, and then ends up with the ball and netted it home.
The initial play affected the outcome? His initial offside surely calls the goal back?
I'm not too disappointed. I thought we played with a ton of effort. First half was very good. Second bang average and we were punished. But I'd ask again to someone who might know the rules better than I, how was the initial offside which clearly affected the play not be called?