April 25 – Liverpool’s chase for the Premier League title has lost steam but Everton’s battle for survival has strengthened following Everton’s 2-0 win over their bitter cross-town rivals at Goodison Park.
The result, which is Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s first Merseyside derby loss at Goodison, leaves the club four points behind Arsenal with four games to play. Manchester City sit one point behind the Reds, but have two games in hand.
The result marked another frustrating night for Liverpool’s attackers, who looked completely unsettled in front of goal. The loss marked seven matches since Egyptian star Mohamed Salah last scored from open play.
Everton were good value for their emphatic victory, and were undoubtedly the better side on the night. They opened the scoring in the first half through Jarred Branthwaite after a calamitous error from Liverpool’s Konate. Their lead doubled in the second half thanks to a towering header from Dominic Calvert Lewin.
In the space of a few weeks, Klopp’s Reds have gone from eyeing a potential quadruple to resigning to a single Carabao Cup title as his ‘farewell tour’ looks set for a bitter end.
“To sum up, it was not good enough,” said Klopp.
Regarding Liverpool’s prospects of securing the second Premier League title under Klopp’s leadership, he admitted that they are diminishing. “I can’t say now that we are still fully in it. We need a crisis at Man City and Arsenal and we need to win football games because if they start losing all their games and we do what we did tonight then nothing changes. We are not safe in the Champions League [qualification] as well so we should just play better football. That would be really good.”
In contrast, Everton manager Sean Dyche was delighted with his team’s response following their 6-0 defeat at Chelsea nine days prior. “The last two games (wins over Liverpool and Nottingham Forest) have been a real forceful show of a reaction. People said we don’t care. Of course we care. How can you do my job and not care? The reaction has been fantastic from all concerned,” said Dyche.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1732330185labto1732330185ofdlr1732330185owedi1732330185sni@g1732330185niwe.1732330185yrrah1732330185