The Merseyside derby at Goodison Park was held after being postponed due to bad weather. Everton took an early lead from a free kick awarded for a delicate decision, but Liverpool soon equalised with a goal from Alexis Mac Allister.
The game remained close, but Egyptian international Mohamed Salah scored the winner and the game went straight into added time. It looked as if Liverpool would get the whole point, but the home team hit the equaliser on the last play of the game and the game ended in a draw.
For the Reds, added time was stretched too long and there was an impression that the whistle had blown in Everton’s favour. In the end, both teams got into it, and in the process, manager Arne Slott and his assistant coach were also sent off.
Reflecting on the turbulent derby, team captain Virgil van Dijk acknowledged the intensity of his opponents, but expressed his honest feelings that it was difficult to accept a draw result.
“It was intense – it was always going to be intense. It’s disappointing to lose in the last second of the game or even over extra time. It isn’t easy to accept it, especially in the manner but we take it and move on.”
“The same things they always do – very direct and fight for the second and third ball. This is their cup final and will try and make it difficult. We saw it last season how difficult they made it and this year they scored in the end – a boost for them, a blow for us.”
“They are entitled to celebrate the goal but Doucoure wanted to provoke our fans and Curtis thought that wasn’t the right thing to do. Then there was a tussle. The referee didn’t have the game under control, I said that to him. It is a factor. Both teams had to deal with it.”
TNT Sports
When asked by the interviewer whether the draw also felt like a loss, the Dutch centre-back expressed his dissatisfaction with Refourie’s decision. On the other hand, he said that the final equaliser was brilliant.
“Yes and no. It was over extra time. I think the referee had a big part in the game today in terms of certain challenges were given as a foul and similar ones didn’t. It’s disappointing to concede – a great strike – but very disappointing.”
TNT Sports