Liverpool’s dominant derby win over Everton illustrates the gap between the red and blue sides of the River Mersey
LIVERPOOL, England – Finally, on and off the pitch in the 239th Merseyside derby, as Liverpool’s incredible scoring machine broke another record with a ruthless finish in win 4-1 in Everton – their biggest win at Goodison Park since 1986.
Two Mohamed Salah goals and a goal from Jordan Henderson and Diogo Jota make sure that Liverpool became the first team in English football history to score two or more goals in 18 consecutive games. Liverpool have now scored 43 goals after 14 goals Premier League this season – averaging just over three games a game – and are third in the table with 10 points more than the top team Chelsea and more than second place 14 City of Manchester.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are a strong, formidable side and they will destroy better teams than Everton this season, but when your nearest opponents are proving unstoppable, their class will not be a consolation for the Blues.
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Gray clouds have already begun to gather over Goodison ahead of this game, with Rafael Benitez’s side unable to win the tournament since September, but the frustration of longtime Everton fans has became angry at the end of 90 minutes with hundreds of people staying. stood behind the main stand to curse at the club directors. The chants of “sack the board” were the only ones that weren’t filled with profanity.
“I think anyone who was able to watch the game would say we made too many mistakes, and when you do that against a top team, you pay for it,” said Benitez. “Always lose but when you lose a team costs too much money and has too many good players, sometimes it’s because you make mistakes and the other team is pretty good.”
Benitez is, of course, the former Liverpool manager who guided the club to Champions League victory in 2005 – the so-called “Miracle of Istanbul” assured the Spaniard of legendary status at Anfield.
His appointment as manager at Everton during the summer divided the fans and created outright hostility from some, but Benitez won the majority. However, this was a game that all Evertonians dreaded, and their worst fears were confirmed as Liverpool ran off course and left home fans reeling as they chanted Benitez’s name.
They also mocked the Evertonians with other chants. It has been an utterly harrowing experience for the Blues, who have only picked up two points from their last 24, but when one team has the upper hand, it’s natural for supporters to take advantage. The problem for Everton is that it’s been so long since they’ve flourished in this contest, hope has been replaced by despair, and it’s shown in the players’ performances in the derbies.
Against a team of Liverpool’s quality, trying to win with passion is a meaningless exercise, and Klopp’s men are waiting for Everton’s old approach.
“The message from the manager is that they will be physically strong and play 100 per cent on every ball,” said Salah, who has scored 19 goals in 19 games this season. “We just had to play our game and try to create chances, which we did.”
Henderson, who dominates in midfield, has opened the scoring with a left-footed shot in the past Jordan Pickford from 20 yards into nine minutes. The England midfielder then became the football man in the 20th minute with a clever pass for Salah, which led the striker into the box before a left-footed shot past Pickford.
Everton pulled back a goal when Demarai Grey finished Richarlison’s pass in the 38th minute, but Liverpool were always in control and Salah made it safe in the 64th minute when he pounced on a Seamus Coleman blunder before racing the full length of the first half of Everton and scoring against Pickford. By the time Jota had made it 4-1 in the 79th minute – leveling the winning streak in the Screen Sports Super Cup semi-final at Goodison in September 1986 – thousands of Everton fans had already left the pitch.
This is the latest match of the day away from Liverpool. They have put the past year Manchester United, Watford and Porto This season, so maybe Everton were lucky to limit their neighbors to four goals.
In the Premier League, goal difference is already worth a point against their rivals in the event that the race for the title is dwindling in terms of goal difference, but they are tough to stop. Salah (10,32), Sadio Mane (8.28) and Jota (7.77) are the top three of the xG Premier League, but Liverpool also have strong potential from midfield, as Henderson showed at Goodison.
Taking the opportunity, the dominant Liverpool won the game, but they also held their ground amid the noise and frenzy of Goodison and that was also important.
“I liked what I saw and it was the best performance we did at Goodison,” Klopp said. “We’ve made such a big step in our development that we can get into these kinds of games, even though they’re really important to the opponent. We can put emotion on the back burner. one side.”
Unlike Everton, Liverpool do not need to rely on emotions to win. They are too good for that.
