Liverpool Win First Ever Derby At Everton’s New Hill Dickinson Stadium To Ease Pressure on Slot | OneFootball

There is no question that it has been a poor season for Arne Slot. There are a huge amount of mitigating circumstances around what’s happened this year, from the death of Diogo Jota to injuries that would make you think the Dutchman had had a curse put on him, but he’s still not been at his best at times.

For some, that means that he should be sacked come the summer and someone like Xabi Alonso brought in to replace him, whilst for others he deserves a chance to prove himself. Whichever side of the camp you come down on, there is no question that a win in the Merseyside derby helps to alleviate any bad feelings.

Last Minute Winners

There were loads of stats yesterday that will have made Liverpool supporters smile, not the least of which was the fact that the Reds have three players on the books that were alive when Everton last won a trophy, with two of them scoring for us in the 2-1 win. Perhaps my favourite, though, was the one that said that our winning goal was the sixth time that we’d scored a stoppage-time winner in the Merseyside derby during the Premier League era, which is the most that one side has scored so late against a single other opponent. I love it because it is a stat which tells you so much about both teams, in its own way.

For starters, it shows that the Reds always believe that they have it in themselves to win a game against our most bitter of bitter rivals. However, it mainly shows that Everton remain in our shadow, constantly assuming that the worst is likely to happen. The match itself wasn’t a good one, with plenty to complain about if you’re in the mood to do so. Realistically, derbies are never particularly good games, so anyone wanting to use that as a stick with which to beat Arne Slot is being more than a bit unfair. All that matters is the result, so on that front the Dutchman can walk away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium feeling very pleased with himself.

It’s 1-0 at the Hill Dickinson

One of the main reasons for Liverpool supporters feeling pleased with themselves today is that we have taken a 1-0 lead in Merseyside derbies played at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. It means that Everton will need to win two in a row just to take the lead in games played against us at their own ground. Given that club’s propensity for feeling as though it is jinxed, it is a great position for us to put ourselves in. Many fans of the Blues don’t like the place as it is, so a win there at the first time of asking is excellent news for Slot, coming at a time when he is keen to win as much favour with Liverpool supporters as he’s able to.

Will it be enough for him to keep his job? That is a really tricky question to answer. On the one hand, there are some Liverpool fans who would’ve taken a win over Everton at their new stadium instead of a League Cup win, so it counts as being equal to silverware in its own way. There is also no doubt that Fenway Sports Group will take the mitigating circumstances of the season into account when weighing up Slot’s performance. Yet there is also a truth in the fact that we have underperformed and the Dutchman’s own decisions have been a big part of that. For now, though, we can just enjoy the fact that we own this city.