Everton crush Liverpool’s title dreams in epic Merseyside derby victory
Goodison Park Erupts as Everton beat Liverpool 2-0
Everton claimed their first win over Liverpool at Goodison Park since 2010 as the Toffees ended the Reds’ Premier League title hopes.
“You lost the league at Goodison Park,” Everton fans chanted as they revelled in a historic night.
Everton beat Liverpool by two goals to nil and handed Reds manager Jurgen Klopp his second loss in the Merseyside derby after nine years in charge.
Set-piece perfection and Pickford heroics seal the deal
Jarrad Branthwaite had given Everton the lead, finishing a set-piece. They dominated Liverpool aerially and physically, opening the scoring on 27.
Liverpool tried to bounce back, but the Everton backline held on, with Jordan Pickford making some excellent saves to keep his side in the lead.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin doubled the lead from another set-piece in the second half to damage Liverpool’s hopes of closing their gap with Arsenal at the top of the table.
For Liverpool, it was much of the same story from the past few weeks. Darwin Nunez had missed a glorious chance to pull the team back into the tie.
Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Andy Robertson also missed guilt-edge chances as Everton won only their second Merseyside derby in 30 clashes.
Reds left reeling
The loss means Liverpool are now three points away from Arsenal, who sit atop the EPL table after humiliating Chelsea 5-0 yesterday.
Manchester City can overtake the Reds, who sat at the top of the table for 87 days, with a win over Brighton & Hove Albion tomorrow.
Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk had urged the squad to put everything into a final Premier League push after the Atalanta loss, but they have continued to falter.
Klopp’s hopes of leaving Liverpool with another EPL title have now been dashed, crashing his perfect swansong.
The defeat exposed Liverpool’s Achilles heel this season – their inability to convert chances.
Klopp, ever the optimist, may look to the positives (the Reds have been strong defensively throughout the campaign). However, the feeling remains that with a more clinical attack, the narrative could have been very different.
Liverpool have the second worst shot conversion rate in the EPL at the moment. They will need to find their mojo in front of goal if they want to finish the season well.