Player Ratings: Late Tarkowski Strike Denies Liverpool at Goodison Park | OneFootball

Everton Strike Late to Deny Liverpool Goodison Glory

Merseyside Derby Drama at Goodison Park

Liverpool were moments away from claiming their final Merseyside derby victory at Goodison Park before Everton struck deep into stoppage time to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw. It was a night of passion, controversy, and late drama in what will be the last league clash between these two rivals at the historic venue.

This was David Moyes’ first return to the fixture since his previous spell at Everton ended in 2014, while Arne Slot experienced his maiden taste of this fierce local battle. Days after Liverpool’s shock FA Cup exit to Plymouth Argyle, the pressure was on for the visitors to respond.

Everton seized the early initiative through Beto’s well-placed strike, igniting the home support. However, Liverpool quickly restored parity as Alexis Mac Allister’s header, set up by Mohamed Salah, saw the Egyptian register a record-breaking assist.

Everton’s Resilience and Late Heroics

The Toffees dictated much of the early second-half proceedings, even finding the net through Jarrad Branthwaite, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside. Despite their dominance, Everton found themselves trailing when Salah latched onto a loose ball and calmly dispatched past Jordan Pickford.

Photo: IMAGO

As the clock ticked past 90 minutes, Liverpool looked poised to take all three points. But Everton had other ideas. James Tarkowski rose highest to meet a pinpoint cross, heading past Alisson to send the home crowd into raptures. A melee ensued after the final whistle, culminating in red cards for Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucoure, further stoking the flames of this historic rivalry.

What This Means for the Premier League Race

Liverpool’s failure to hold onto their lead sees them remain seven points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League title race, with just 14 matches left in the 2024/25 campaign. While the draw won’t derail their pursuit of silverware, it does highlight vulnerabilities that Slot will need to address.

Everton, meanwhile, continue their fight for stability under Moyes. With defensive resilience and attacking threat on display, this performance will serve as a significant morale boost as they look to climb the table.

Player Ratings

Everton

Substitutes:

Unused Subs: Asmir Begovic, Joao Virginia, Michael Keane, Isaac Heath, Martin Sherif.

Liverpool

Substitutes: