James Tarkowski struck in the 98th minute to salvage a 2-2 draw for Everton against Liverpool as four red cards were issued after full-time on a dramatic final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday.
Liverpool edge seven points clear at the top of the Premier League but were denied a vital win by Tarkowski’s blistering strike after Mohamed Salah put Arne Slot’s men in front.
Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure, Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were then sent off as tempers flared at the final whistle on a night Liverpool will come to regret if they do not go on to lift a record-equalling 20th English top flight title.
“Very tough,” said Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. “We saw the celebrations they had in the end so we know how much it meant for them but the fact is it was disappointing for us.”
Everton are set to move to a new 53,000 capacity stadium in Liverpool’s Bramley Moore Dock next season and gave their home since 1892 a night to remember against their local rivals.
“Mental probably sums it up,” said Everton boss David Moyes. “A brilliant finish for us, to finish the last Goodison Merseyside derby and score in the last minute is in a way fitting.”
Liverpool’s quest for a quadruple came unstuck with a shock FA Cup exit to second-tier strugglers Plymouth on Sunday.
Slot made 10 changes as he resorted to his strongest available side with Salah and Van Dijk among those who had been afforded the weekend off.
Everton’s own FA Cup exit to Bournemouth on Saturday had punctured some of their momentum since Moyes’ return for a second spell in charge.
The Toffees had won their previous three Premier League games to pull nine points clear of the relegation zone and got off to a flying start.
Liverpool were caught napping on 11 minutes by a quick free-kick by Jarrad Branthwaite to free Beto, who beat Alisson Becker for his third goal in two league games.
The visitors could have been swept away in the feverish atmosphere early on but the Reds immediate response was the making of champions.
Alexis Mac Allister started and finished the move as the diminutive Argentine midfielder ghosted into the penalty area to head in Salah’s teasing cross.
Everton then suffered a huge blow as their creative hub Iliman Ndiaye limped off in tears after a long stoppage.
The first half never recovered its flow amid a flurry of fouls and yellow cards as the Premier League fixture with the most red cards in history threatened to boil over once more.
The home crowd briefly erupted once more when Branthwaite fired home only for the celebrations to be cut short by the offside flag.
Slot was growing visibly frustrated with his side’s lack of penetration going forward and turned to his bench for an impact with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jones and Darwin Nunez sent on to find a winner.
The changes worked as Salah delivered what looked like a potential title-clinching moment.
Jones and Nunez exchanged a one-two and when the former’s shot was blocked by Branthwaite, it fell kindly for Salah to prod in his 27th goal of the season.
Only a brilliant save by Jordan Pickford crucially denied Salah a second late on.
And Everton rallied when Liverpool failed to deal with a hopeful ball into the box and it fell to centre-back Tarkowski to fire into the top corner.
A lengthy VAR check followed for offside and Everton fans had to be cleared off the pitch before the game could restart.
When it did there was more fireworks as Doucoure and Jones were both shown sent off clashing after the Everton midfielder celebrated in front of the travelling Liverpool support.
Slot and Hulshoff also saw reds for taking their protests towards referee Michael Oliver too far after the game.
AFP
