That's all for today
An unbelievable end to a very, very good derby in which both teams played well. Nobody who watched that will forget it in a hurry. I’m off to lie down in a darkened room, and wish you a pleasant finish to the weekend!
Enjoy/wallow in Daniel Taylor’s match report here:
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Klopp with a mixture of joy and mea culpa: “I didn’t want to be disrespectful, I couldn’t stop myself [celebrating], it happened. The game was what we expected, hard for both teams, there were chances. In the end it was a very weird goal, I can’t imagine Everton’s disappointment. But we got it, we take it and it’s a brilliant night. If I could describe [the feelings] I could control it, a few times we scored late but today, because of the intensity ... I’m not sure what the FA has to do in a situation like that.
“Both teams delivered an unbelievable fight, the clearest fight since [I came here], before it was niggly but both tried to play football, this was the game I expected, they are really good.”
Even after about a dozen replays it’s hard to work out quite what happened between Pickford, the crossbar and Van Dijk’s spinning shot. Was he trying to keep the ball in play or, in fact, tip it over? Either way it was unnecessary and he seemed to catch his hands on the bar, helping the ball down. What a freak mistake.
@NickAmes82 I agree with VVD; Everton were good (v good) Liverpool were better, just! Or whatever, who cares; that is THE best way to win a derby
— Fabian Crusoe (@FabianCrusoe1) December 2, 2018
Yes – winning by a jammy goal in the dying seconds tends to be the best way.
@NickAmes82 Well, Origi will join the Historic Roster of That, as in "THAT Origi goal"
— Hubert O'Hearn (@BTBReviews) December 2, 2018
Absolutely true – that was, and will be, a folkloric moment. Van Dijk had turned away in disgust after his miscue and started running back into his own half!
Origi speaks: “It’s a special moment. I’m enjoying the moment, it’s a special win for the club and the city. [The goal] was just instinct, I knew there would be some open balls like this, so had to be nice and sharp. In the end Virgil gave me a nice assist!”
So does Van Dijk: “Obviously in the end it’s such a great feeling. We had great chances. They had a good side but we were better. Last-minute goals are always a bit special. They gave us a good game today and I think we deserved the win. We don’t need to look at City. They are doing an amazing job but we need to look at ourselves.”
“Man City – Mahrez misses a penalty, we get a lucky draw, and now this. Didn’t deserve either, but of course we will take it,” opines Richard McGahey.
I wonder if Klopp will hear more about that – ahem – enthusiastic celebration, not that you’d expect him to care a jot.
If Pickford had just left the ball alone. If Gueye hadn’t been injured, adding that extra couple of minutes on. It’s if, if, if for Everton – who played so well from beginning to, almost, end.
The scenes there! Klopp was on the pitch, completely beside himself. They celebrate now and there’s Klopp again, bellowing into the camera. Liverpool didn’t quite deserve that, in my view, but they’ve won it in freakish, utterly unbelievable fashion. Origi was indeed the hero – but did anyone think he could win it quite like that?
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Full-time: Liverpool 1-0 Everton
My word.
I don’t believe what I’ve just seen! That was incredible! Alexander-Arnold aims a deep delivery towards Liverpool’s box and it’s headed away. Van Dijk tries a speculative volley from 25 yards but totally messes it up and it spoons high into the air, on course to drop over the bar. But Pickford isn’t sure about it and, instead of watching it over, jumps up – clawing it down and onto the crossbar! It then pops off the frame a second time and Origi, staying lively, finishes from a yard. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a goal like that, especially in these circumstances!
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Goal! Liverpool 1-0 Everton (Origi 90+6)
This is extraordinary! Wait until you see this goal! Klopp is on the pitch and Anfield has gone BERSERK!
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90+5 min: Richarlison instigates a little skirmish by the Liverpool corner flag, Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk getting involved, but it’s a storm in a teacup.
90+4 min: Gueye takes some treatment so we should carry on for another minute or so beyond the allotted four.
90+2 min: Sturridge dances into the box beautifully and just for a second seems to have contrived a half-chance to win it, but Richarlison is back to win the ball cleanly. What a shift Everton have put in here, from back to front.
90+1 min: Sigurdsson is booked for fouling Robertson – and stopping a useful counter. He is rewarded with the chance to sit out the four minutes of added time, Kurt Zouma replacing him.
89 min: Everton aim to calm things down with a change. Bernard goes off, to be replaced by Calvert-Lewin.
87 min: Keane makes a crucial interception, facing his own goal but hooking Alexander-Arnold’s latest cross away. Liverpool are stepping up the pressure and, for the first time really, look the likely winners. Origi then streaks away down the right and Coleman, covering inside diligently, thuds his centre away from Mane. It’s a corner ... from which Origi hits the bar! So close to that storybook moment! Van Dijk wins a header and, right in front of goal, Origi jabs out a leg but can only strike the woodwork. What a chance to win it!
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85 min: ... which doesn’t beat the first man, not for the first time.
84 min: Remember Divock Origi? He’s just replaced Firmino for his first Premier League game in 15 months. He has derby-winning form; it’d be some story if he could do it again. And Liverpool win a corner immediately ...
84 min: This would, of course, be a very satisfying result for Manchester City as well as for Everton. How much do Liverpool gamble in these closing minutes?
82 min: Firmino drags across goal after running onto a swept Alexander-Arnold pass. He never really looked like scoring from that.
81 min: Gomez cynically hauls Richarlison back after he gets on the wrong side of him, and is booked. A good foul as it happened in a harmless area and Richarlison was heading for the danger zone.
80 min: This is very composed, controlled and impressive from Everton even if they can’t push on and win it – and even if they lose it. There are signs that they might just be on the way back.
77 min: Fabinho is booked, having tried to tidy up a mess started by Firmino. He’s launched into a couple of spicy challenges today.
75 min: Everton continue to apply some pressure. The chances haven’t, in general, been as clear for either side this half but you would not rule out a winner. Salah will not provide it, as he walks off to be replaced by Daniel Sturridge. Bit of a surprise to see him hooked instead of the quiet and slightly sluggish Firmino.
71 min: Here comes Naby Keita, in place of Shaqiri, which heralds a 4-3-3 for Liverpool and a bit of a tightening-up. Everton have just wrested control lately.
69 min: Alexander-Arnold concedes a left-sided free-kick, which Everton make little of, but since Lookman’s introduction the Toffees have really brightened up again.
67 min: Mane, again, is close after a delicious sidefoot across goal from Robertson. He’s just put off sufficiently by Digne as he looks to convert from a matter of feet.
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66 min: And another good moment for the away side, Bernard tricking in from the left and taking aim but seeing his effort squirt away from the far post.
65 min: A patient, slick Everton move, front-to-back-to-front, results in their cutting Liverpool open down the right. But Alexander-Arnold is terrifically alert to cut out Coleman’s ball across with Richarlison waiting to pull the trigger.
63 min: It is getting a bit testy, Richarlison at the centre of a few handbags. It would be a shame if a good game became overly niggly but it’s certainly tense and there’s an edge developing. Walcott won’t be at the sharp end of it anymore – he does indeed come off and Lookman replaces him.
60 min: Walcott fizzes a cross straight at Alisson. Not quite the same level of threat from Everton at the moment although the intent remains clear and a couple of times they’ve been one better pass away from a nice situation.
59 min: Not far off from Mane, appearing from deep this time after neat hold-up play from Salah. It’s a much harder chance than his other two and, while well struck, he puts is wide from 20 yards.
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57 min: Seems Walcott will be alright. Ademola Lookman would be the obvious replacement if he pulled up lame again although you often see managers decide to tighten up in situations like that. Not sure Silva is cut from that cloth mind you.
55 min: Walcott has an issue, I think he got a nick from Wijnaldum just now. He’s not looking very content.
53 min: A second huge chance for Mane! Firmino controls on his chest and instinctively finds Mane first-time. He’s racing away in the inside-left but, as Mina recovers, seems to be put off and his finish slides well wide of the near post.
50 min: An intricate Liverpool move ends with Bernard, better known for his attacking flair, race back and brilliantly hook the ball away after Alexander-Arnold volleys it back towards Firmino.
48 min: Liverpool show rather more convincingly. It’s Salah, with his first consequential effort of the night, bending a left-footer just past Pickford’s far post, causing the keeper to scurry across goal and dive at full stretch.
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47 min: Everton are first to show in the second period, Walcott making a searing run through the middle and perhaps holding onto the ball for too long. He ends up unable either to pass or shoot and Liverpool clear the danger.
Peeeeeeeep! Second half underway
Here. We. Go!
Get ready – we’re soon to get started at Anfield for the second half and if it’s much like the first in manner I can’t see it finishing goalless ...
And here is Dave Hytner on Arsenal 4-2 Spurs:
Football has been happening elsewhere, you know. Here is Suzanne Wrack’s report on Manchester City’s big 2-0 win over Arsenal in the Women’s Super League:
Half-time: Liverpool 0-0 Everton
No goals but plenty of fun, especially in a really ding-dong first 35 minutes or so. It should probably be 2-2. Mane and Shaqiri have both missed one-on-ones for Liverpool while Mina planted an early header wide for Everton and Andre Gomes was *somehow* denied by a combination of Alisson and Van Dijk later. Parity is fair and it’s refreshing to see an Everton side have a real go at Anfield as this one is.
45 min: Liverpool look to prove that statement premature and Salah, after a lengthy grapple with Mina, earns a free-kick just to the right of the area. It’d be the perfect time to score. But Alexander-Arnold’s delivery is poor and cleared at the near post.
43 min: Mane and Salah combine but the latter can’t squeeze around Coleman and Pickford can smother. We are heading for a goalless first half.
42 min: A slight lull in the tempo now, with Liverpool dominating the ball but doing little of note with it. Both sides have put a lot into this half.
39 min: Pickford executes some smart sweeper-keeping as Shaqiri aims a low, flat ball through for Mane. The danger is averted.
37 min: This is rattling good stuff and you really wouldn’t fancy picking a winner.
35 min: Pickford saves from Shaqiri! The Swiss is one-on-one after Salah sees him to his right, and if we’re being critical he should probably shoot with his first or second touch. But he can’t quite decide which foot to go with, eventually opting for his weaker right, and that gives Pickford the chance to set himself and block with a leg! Shaqiri really should have scored. And, as is the pattern here, we go straight down the other end and Alisson is out to do *just* enough as Walcott tries to go round him, bundling the ball against the forward’s legs and out. I’m not sure how we haven’t had a goal yet.
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32 min: Salah is almost sent away down the inside right but Mina catches up with him. Everton hare up the other end and Shaqiri is booked for felling Bernard unceremoniously. The visitors are shading this.
30 min: Everton counter swiftly and Richarlison, who seemed to be fouled by Alexander-Arnold as he shot, scuffs straight at Alisson from inside the D after good work from Walcott. It’s fun, this, despite the lack of goals.
29 min: Firmino has a more convincing pop than his earlier daisycutter, but Pickford is right behind it.
28 min: And now, on the same flank but some 115 yards away, a Liverpool corner. It’s flicked away *just* as Van Dijk is readying himself to power a header towards goal.
27 min: Liverpool were full of vigour in those first 20 minutes but Everton have definitely dominated the last six or seven. They earn a corner on the left flank and the Mina-led cavalry are up. Keane wins the header and it squirts out wide to the right, but Walcott is offside.
23 min: At the midway point in this half I think we can say both sides should have scored – and Everton lead two clear chances to one.
21 min: How on earth does that stay out? Everton can’t believe they are not in front as Walcott nods back for Andre Gomes and, from three yards, a starjumping Alisson somehow blocks his header. The ball then strikes Gomes and squirms towards the line ... but Gomez (as opposed to Gomes ... ) is back in the nick of time to slide it away! The defending and goalkeeping are superb but that really had to go in.
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19 min: Salah swipes a pass across to Firmino from the right, and the Brazilian holds it well. He has midfielders onrushing if he wants to knock the ball back but chooses the trickier – and more selfish – option of a turn and shot, which fades a couple of yards wide.
17 min: Oooh, Richarlison finds space inside the Liverpool box and now it’s the hosts who look too open. But perhaps he’s moving too fast, as he seems to lose his balance when faced with Van Dijk and the chance goes.
17 min: “These teams are really taking the ‘friendly derby’ title a little too seriously,” writes JR in Illinois. “They keep passing the ball to each other.”
Yes, it’s not very polished at all – but plenty of Things are Happening.
15 min: Mane really should have scored that earlier chance, he wasn’t far out at all. Could easily be one apiece here.
13 min: Mane, incredibly lively so far, gets another glimpse but Coleman blocks. Are Everton a bit too open at the moment? I fear so. Shaqiri delivers the corner from the left but the Toffees survive – helped by a rather ungainly Salah miskick as the ball is headed back in to him.
12 min: Now Shaqiri whips a delicious cross from the right into that corridor between goalkeeper and defence, but Salah and Mane can’t quite attack it ... and then a big chance for Mane! Salah flips one over the top and Mane, holding off Mina, can see the whites of Pickford’s eyes. But he lashes over and Everton are let off!
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10 min: A scooped Mane pass almost gives Salah a sniff, but Digne’s presence just puts him off. Good start here though, full of fizz and intent.
9 min: Bernard looks likely to get a run at Gomez down the middle but in the end quite literally beats himself, losing track of his own footwork and ceding possession in so doing.
8 min: Mane reclaims possession and sets Alexander-Arnold galloping into the area, but a corner is the outcome. The tempo here is *high*. The ball comes in and a Liverpool player air-kicks, while Everton clear.
6 min: Now a long throw from the left for Everton, but Liverpool repel it. The visitors look keen to give this a go though, as expected.
4 min: Bernard starts brightly and is fouled by Alexander-Arnold. Tempting free-kick for Everton out on the left ... and my word, that’s a chance for Mina! He gets right away from Van Dijk as the ball is swung in, and has a free header in front of goal – but bounces it just wide! Everton should be in front here.
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1 min: Pickford gets the home crowd going by chasing out unnecessarily to deal with a long ball out wide and slicing wildly out for a corner, which is dealt with.
Peeeep! Here we go!
Everton begin the game!
@NickAmes82 I feel that we need a definitive answer to a decade old question today - is Theo Walcott a good player who is often rubbish or a rubbish player who is occasionally good? I fear the latter.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) December 2, 2018
He’s still a young, promising player full of potential.
“Let’s go,” is the shout in the tunnel, and out they come. Anfield is loud. Can this possibly match the game we’ve just watched?
Marco Silva speaks: “[I expect a] tough match, a special match in the season, for all the fans as well. They have quality and we have to play at our best level to get a good result.”
Klopp: “I don’t think many Liverpool fans watch Everton games every week so somebody needs to tell them there has been a big development at Everton. They have quality.”
“Surely the 3-3 draw at Goodison in the 2013-14 season was a memorable one. Liverpool looked great going forward but their defence was bullied by Lukaku in the second half. Then at the 90th minute Sturridge nicked the draw. Amazing game, trust me,” writes the trustworthy Michal Pomarnacki, offering some balance.
David Wall sets us up for a 5-5 thrilla:
“Inevitably this game will go on to prove me wrong, but can anyone remember the last really great Merseyside derby? I can’t think of a more overhyped fixture in recent seasons that either ends up being a dull low or no score draw, memorable only for bad tackles and angry looks on players’ faces, or a blowout thrashing by Liverpool in which Everton only show any competitive spirit when they have a player sent off when they’re already at least a couple of goals down. If ever there was a fixture that traded on past glories it’s this one.”
(*Whispers* – David has a point)
It’s 4-2 there now. Anyway: I want to hear your deepest hopes and fears about this blog’s main event, the Merseyside affair – so do get your emails in.
Arsenal have turned it around in an absolutely brilliant game at the Emirates, and now lead 3-2! Join Ben Fisher for the last 20 or so – you won’t regret it!
So Everton are unchanged there, having beaten Cardiff 1-0 last time out. Liverpool bring in Xherdan Shaqiri for James Milner, in a more attacking lineup than the one that lost at PSG, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is on for Dejan Lovren. Presumably that means Joe Gomez moves to centre-back. Fabinho is in for the suspended Jordan Henderson.
Team news
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Shaqiri, Salah, Firmino, Mane. Subs: Milner, Keita, Sturridge, Moreno, Mignolet, Origi, Matip.
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne, Andre Gomes, Gueye, Walcott, Sigurdsson, Bernard, Richarlison. Subs: Baines, Zouma, Tosun, Stekelenburg, Davies, Calvert-Lewin, Lookman.
Hello
How’s your derby day stamina? A bit of a thriller is unfolding in north London as we speak but we’re here for Liverpool v Everton – and you’d expect that anything Arsenal & Spurs can do ...
Particularly as there’s a slightly curious vibe around this one. Liverpool stand second in the league but a lot of the positivity going into this afternoon’s game is around Everton, newly vibrant under Marco Silva, who sit sixth and are fancied to have a real go today. Jurgen Klopp’s team might be flying but they seem, too, to be receiving a few brickbats: three away defeats in the Champions League haven’t helped but there is also the sense that, perhaps in part due to their tightening up at the back, something of their old swashbuckling selves has been lost.
It’s a strange criticism really, given that they are still banging the goals in at home and sit right on Manchester City’s coat tails. And perhaps it’s a reflection of some frustration that, historically, a team this good would be top of the pile rather than second-best to Pep Guardiola’s sleek, slick all-stars. Let’s be honest, there isn’t much at all to dislike about this Liverpool team. But it’s impossible not to sense an opportunity for Everton at the same time.
How they’d love to take it. Everton last won at Anfield way, way back in September 1999 – Kevin Campbell with the winner that day in a feisty encounter with three red cards. At some point they’ll do it again. Will that be today? Let me know via the media of email and tweet – and we’ll get this show on the road very shortly.
