Liverpool faced a late setback as players clashed in a dramatic, historic Merseyside derby that ended in a 2-2 draw as multiple red cards were issued after full-time at Goodison Park.
Everton piled misery on the Reds with Beto’s early goal.The advantage didn’t last long, Alexis Mac Allister’s header from Mohamed Salah’s cross in a record-breaking assist from the Egypitan tied things up only five minutes later.
Everton were the dominant side in the early stages of the second half and almost took the second lead in the match, but the goal from centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite was ruled out for offside.
Into the final 20 minutes, Salah’s well-taken goal put Liverpool in front for the first time, which looked like it would be decisive until James Tarkowski popped up with the equaliser deep into stoppage time.
Tempers flared badly on the pitch following James Tarkowski’s dramatic 98th-minute goal that secured a last-gasp point for Everton against fierce rivals Liverpool on Wednesday night, with an ugly scrap between both sets of players sparked by a furious confrontation involving midfielders Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Jones appeared to be annoyed with Doucoure celebrating Everton’s late equaliser in front of the travelling Liverpool fans as he sprinted over to confront him, with both players then involved in an angry bust-up that saw them each receive second yellow cards and then reds from referee Michael Oliver as police and stadium security intervened to restore order.
Liverpool were protesting that Tarkowski’s powerful back-post volley – which stood after a long VAR check mostly centred on a possible offside – was not ruled out for a challenge by Beto on Ibrahima Konate, leading to furious protests from manager Arne Slot, who was then shown a straight red card by Oliver after the second yellows for Jones and Doucoure.
The Premier League has confirmed that a total of four red cards were shown after the full-time whistle as the last-ever Merseyside derby to be held at Goodison Park flew up in utter chaos.
The Premier League’s Match Centre has also confirmed that Slot’s assistant Sipke Hulshoff was also given his marching orders as chaos reigned during a stormy finish to proceedings at Goodison, where some home fans had spilled onto the pitch after Tarkowski’s goal.
Neither Slot nor Hulshoff were permitted by Premier League rules to address the media after Wednesday’s game due to their dismissals, resulting in Liverpool cancelling their post-match press conference altogether.
Liverpool are now seven points clear of title rivals Arsenal at the Premier League will now be without Jones for Sunday’s visit of Wolves to Anfield, while Slot and his assistant Hulshoff each look set to serve one-match touchline bans, which would presumably see the team led by assistant coach – and former Everton defender – John Heitinga this weekend.
