That’s all for today’s coverage of a forgettable game. Let’s be honest, the coverage was pretty forgettable too.
We’ll have another minute-by-minute at 6.45pm, and Aston Villa v Arsenal should be a peedie bit more exciting. Thanks for your company – bye.
This is the closest we came to a goal
So close 😣 #EVELIV pic.twitter.com/fWXdu5BwcN
— Everton Women (@EvertonWomen) March 24, 2024
Full time: Everton 0-0 Liverpool
Liverpool move up to fourth in the WSL after an underwhelming goalless draw at Goodison Park. The matcch improved in the second half, when Lucy Hope hit the bar and Ceri Holland forced a fine save from Courtney Brosnan, but the bar was pretty low. Both sides gave everything, but I doubt this game will linger short in their memory, never mind long.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City Women | 17 | 34 | 43 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 16 | 34 | 40 |
| 3 | Arsenal Women | 16 | 17 | 34 |
| 4 | Liverpool FC Women | 17 | 4 | 29 |
| 5 | Man Utd Women | 17 | 13 | 28 |
Updated
90+10 min They’re still playing because of the injury to Holland. Liverpool have a free-kick on the right wing… and it’s overhit.
Updated
90+7 min Payne nutmegs Fisk superbly on the edge of the area. For a split second it looks like she’s through on goal, but Nagano comes across to make a vital interception.
90+6 min Holland is okay to continue. Enderby goes on a dangerous run down the right but crosses too close to Brosnan.
90+3 min: Chance for Liverpool! Holland suddenly surges through on goal and forces a terrific save from the outrushing Brosnan. That would have been very harsh on Everton.
Holland has been injured in the process and is receiving treatment.
Updated
90 min Seven minutes of added time. Piemonte goes over just inside the area after a challenge from Fahey, but the referee isn’t interested.
88 min: Chance for Liverpool! Almost a late twist. Roman Haug runs onto a chipped ball forward, controlling it neatly on the edge of the D – but then the ball spins awkwardly and she slices her shot well wide.
86 min A half chance for Everton, with a deep, inswinging corner from the left headed wide by Finnigan.
85 min: Everton substitution Karen Holmgaard replaces Hanna Bennison.
83 min Piemonte, who has played well since coming on, draws a foul from Fahey 40 yards from goal. Nothing comes of the free-kick, but Everton continue to look the team most likely.
Updated
79 min Piemonte, on the right wing, lays the ball back to Vanhaevermaet on the edge of the area. She pings a terrific first-time shot that is punched away by Laws, diving to her right.
Liverpool could be sleepwalking towards something unpleasant; Everton have been much the better team in the last 10-15 minutes.
Updated
77 min Lawley beats Galli on the left with a nice piece of skill but then runs the ball out of play.
76 min This is a good spell for Everton. Payne’s cross from the right hits an unsighted Liverpool defender and falls for Snoeijs, whose snapshot is crucially blocked.
74 min: Everton substitutions Martina Piemonte and Katrine Veje replace Kathrine Moller Kuhl and Emma Bissell.
74 min: Liverpool substitution Melissa Lawley comes on for Lucy Parry.
Updated
71 min: Hope hits the bar! Out of nothing, Lucy Hope belts a shot from 20 yards that beats Laws and thumps off the underside of the bar. The ball rebounds to Snoeijs, eight yards from goal, but she is crowded out and can’t get a shot away.
Updated
70 min At the other end Bennison crosses towards Snoeijs, who has to jump backwards and can’t force her header on target. Again, a very difficult chance.
68 min Liverpool take a short corner on the left. Eventually Enderby (I think) crosses beyond the far post and the ball is hooked into the side netting. The angle was such that it was an extremely difficult chance.
66 min Galli’s corner leads to a bit of a scramble before Bissell had a snapshot from the edge of the area that is blocked.
65 min Daniels’ first touch is an off-balance header that knocks her off her feet. She stays down for 30 seconds or so but is okay to continue.
64 min: Liverpool substitution Yana Daniels replaces the limping Jasmine Matthews
Updated
61 min A long ball forward is headed on by Roman Haug to the left wing-back Matthews. She tries to put Enderby through on goal with an early pass but gets slightly too much on it, allowing Brosnan to come off her line and claim. It was a good idea from Matthews.
59 min: Double substitution for Liverpool Matt Beard has seen enough. He brings on Mia Enderby and Marie-Therese Hobinger for Missy Bo Kearns and Leanne Kiernan.
Updated
57 min Galli’s cross is cleared and Liverpool break three on two. Kearns takes the wrong option, shooting from a very difficult angle to the right. The ball hits Finnigan, knocking her off her feet, and dribbles through to Brosban.
Updated
55 min Snoeijs is okay to continue for now.
53 min Play continues despite Snoeijs being down for a long time near the halfway line. Eventually the game stops so that she can receive treatment to her left leg.
52 min Roman Hagu’s angled cross towards Kiernan is just too close to the keeper Brosnan.
50 min The tempo has been slightly better at the start of the second half, though it’s hard to see the game really opening up unless there’s a goal at either end.
48 min Parry, the right wing-back who was one of Liverpool’s best attackers in the first half, lofts a cross that is headed towards goal by Roman Haug. There’s no pace on the ball and Brosnan saves comfortably.
46 min Everton begin the second half, with no changes on either side.
Updated
Half-time reading
Half time: Everton 0-0 Liverpool
A forgettable first half at Goodison Park, with no clear chances for either team. Liverpool were the better team but still too passive, and Everton played with an understandable caution given their recent form.
45+6 min Another good clearance from Finnigan, this time after Roman Haug beat Bennison (I think) on the left and crossed low into the six-yard box.
45+5 min This is a decent spell of pressure from Liverpool, perhaps their best of the half.
45+4 min Matthews plays the ball out to Roman Haug and keeps running infield. She crosses to the near post, where Matthews is just beaten to the header by Finnigan.
Updated
45 min There will be eight minutes of added time because of all those early breaks in play.
44 min: Chance for Liverpool! Roman Haug miscues a volley from Perry’s deep cross. It turns into a great pass for Matthews, who whacks a shot that is bravely blocked by Vanhaevermaet.
Updated
42 min Liverpool have spent too much of the first half playing safe passes im midfield. I suspect Matt Beard will address that at half-time.
40 min: Chance for Everton! Bennison collects a loose ball in midfield and plays it forward quickly to Bissell in the inside-left channel. She runs to the edge of the area, defenders converging, and cracks just wide of the near post with her left foot.
It wasn’t a clear chance, but it was the closest we’ve come to a goal so far.
Updated
37 min Kearns is fouled on the right wing by Hope, maybe 30 yards from goal. Kearns takes the free-kick herself but it’s too deep and headed behind by Clark.
36 min Parry lifts a good ball down the right to Roman Haug, who wins a corner for Liverpool. Kearns’ delivery is flicked on at the near post and cleared at the far by Hope.
33 min The last 10 minutes have been better, though it’s still a surprising low-key game. Maybe a goal will enliven proceedings.
31 min The corner is cleared and Liverpool break. Kearns tries to run the last defender Wheeler, who does really well to clear the danger.
30 min Bissell beats Parry with a smooth stepover and drives a low cross that is turned behind by Clark for Everton’s first corner…
29 min Almost a very embarrassing moment for Courtney Brosnan. She was miles out of her goal when Finnigan’s pass was intercepted by Roman Haug, who took the shot on from about 45 yards. Brosnan just had enough time to scamper back and make the save.
Updated
26 min The first shot on target. Clark swings over a decent cross from the right that is met by Roman Haug, 12 yards out. Her header is comfortably saved by Brosnan.
25 min Missy Bo Kearns belts a dangerous cross from the right, but there’s nobody in the middle and it goes behind for a goalkick. This is the most subdued derby I’ve seen in a long time.
22 min When play resumes, Kiernan shoots well wide from 25 yards. The game hasn’t got going at all.
20 min For the fourth time in the first 20 minutes, there’s a break in play while somebody receives treatment, Ceri Holland this time. I swear I’m not making this up.
19 min A promising build-up from Everton on the right ends when Payne overhits a return pass to Kuhl.
17 min Yep, Brosnan is okay to continue. I reckon we’ve already racked up five minutes of added time.
16 min Brosnan is still being treated; I think she’s going to continue. The relatively sparse nature of the coverage means we haven’t seen a replay of the challenge from Holland. DON’T SHOOT ME.
13 min Brosnan collects a through ball from Parry and is caught very late by Holland, who is booked. Brosnan needs more treatment as a result.
11 min Courtney is okay to continue. The injuries have contributed to a very slow start to this game.
10 min A decent move from Everton ends with Bissell having a shot blocked. But now they have another potential injury problem, with Courtney Brosnan needing treatment to her right leg.
9 min Everton have made a wahtcful start, as you’d expect given their poor recent form. Liverpool are enjoying a lot of possession without really threatening.
5 min Finnigan is back on the field but she’s still limping.
Updated
4 min A break in play allows Brian Sorensen to give some tactical advice to Heather Payne. It’s Megan Finnigan who is receiving treatment, and she isn’t moving brilliantly as she jogs to the sideline.
3 min An early half chance for Kearns, whose shot from about 12 yards is well blocked.
Updated
1 min After the players take a knee, Leanne Kiernan gets the match under way.
Hurrah! We have pictures, and the match is about to kick off.
We’re five minutes away from kick off and there’s still no sign of life on the FA Player. Fingers crossed, eh.
Team news
Everton bring in Emma Bissell and Heather Payne for Martina Piemonte and the suspended Elise Stenevik.
Liverpool make three changes. In come Lucy Parry, Missy Bo Kearns and the fit-again Fuka Nagano. Out go Emma Koivisto, Marie-Therese Hobinger and Sofie Lundgaard.
Everton (possible 3-1-5-1) Brosnan; Vanhaevermaet, Finnigan, Hope; Wheeler; Galli, Payne, Bennison, Kuhl, Bissell; Snoeijs.
Substitutes: Ramsey, Hart, Veje, Dale, Piemonte, K Holmgaard, Wilding, Hobson, Settle.
Liverpool (possible 3-5-2) Laws; Fisk, Fahey, Clark; Parry, Nagano, Holland, Kearns, Matthews; Kiernan, Roman Haug.
Substitutes: Micah, Lawley, Enderby, Hobinger, Van de Sanden, Daniels, Bonner.
Derby Blues. 👊#EVELIV #BarclaysWSL pic.twitter.com/yEZWAEvBUs
— Everton Women (@EvertonWomen) March 24, 2024
The Reds to face Everton in the Merseyside derby 📋🔴#EVELIV pic.twitter.com/VU63wQnW2A
— Liverpool FC Women (@LiverpoolFCW) March 24, 2024
Updated
Preamble
The difference a year makes. Last season Everton finished one place and seven points above newly promoted Liverpool. This year Liverpool are four places and a whopping 14 points above Everton. They also have a decent opportunity to break the WSL glass ceiling by finishing in the top four. A win today would take them above Manchester United in fourth with five games to go.
Liverpool might already be fourth but for defeat to Everton at Anfield in October, when Megan Finnigan headed the only goal. Everton aren’t a bad team but they have had a bad season. Doing the league double over Liverpool would assuage that a little.
Kick off 1pm.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City Women | 17 | 34 | 43 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 16 | 34 | 40 |
| 3 | Arsenal Women | 16 | 17 | 34 |
| 4 | Man Utd Women | 17 | 13 | 28 |
| 5 | Liverpool FC Women | 16 | 4 | 28 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur Women | 16 | -7 | 22 |
| 7 | Aston Villa Women | 16 | -11 | 19 |
| 8 | Leicester Women | 16 | -10 | 16 |
| 9 | Everton Women | 16 | -15 | 14 |
| 10 | Brighton & Hove Albion Women | 16 | -16 | 14 |
| 11 | West Ham Women | 16 | -16 | 12 |
| 12 | Bristol City Women | 16 | -27 | 6 |
