Merseyside Derby recap: Liverpool edge out winners against solid Everton

National World - LocalTV

A look at how the derby panned out.

Transcript

00:00Well, looking at Liverpool and Everton in terms of the Merseyside derby, obviously a very tight game again, contested this time by a winner, Liverpool came out on top.

00:11Let's start by looking at Liverpool in the derby, a few changes, a few positional changes as well, which we'll get into.

00:18But how do they sort of view this game? There was a little bit of pressure after Arsenal's win over Fulham, obviously.

00:25Pakaio Saka returning for them as well, but overall they moved 12 points clear again.

00:32It was a tough game, by no means an easy game at home against a sort of rejuvenated Everton side under David Moyes.

00:40Yeah, I don't think anyone thought it was going to be easy.

00:42Look, I think every derby and all that cliché has fallen out of the window.

00:48It was a funny one because after the international break, both teams hadn't played for two and a half weeks.

00:53It didn't feel like a derby in the build-up, if that makes sense.

00:57Normally it's palpable around the city, I didn't get that impression, it sort of just crept up on people.

01:03But the night, yeah, as I say, it was a big game for both sides.

01:07And Liverpool weren't at their best, I don't think, Everton made it really difficult for them.

01:13Liverpool defensively got away with a few things in the first half.

01:16Obviously, Beto having an offside goal and then striking the post, he caused Liverpool problems.

01:22But they kept at it, Liverpool, they played more football than they had done against Newcastle.

01:27And in the last derby as well, they showed a little bit more on the ball, moving it sideways, trying to frustrate Everton.

01:36And that eventually happened, obviously the goal was a little bit of controversy around it.

01:40Diogo de Jota's finish, whether Luis Diaz was offside in the build-up.

01:45But look, I think if you've asked every Liverpool fan who went to Anfield and watched at home last night,

01:50it's your win 1-0, these are taking a scrappy 1-0 win.

01:53Without a doubt, as you say, 12 points, the gap's been restored with Arsenal now with eight games to go.

02:00Not a vintage derby, I don't think it'll be one that a lot of people will remember.

02:06But, you know, people look at that Virgil van Dijk moment where he swiped with thin air.

02:11And if Beto would have scored, then the pressure would have really been on.

02:14But you forget about those sorts of things now, really.

02:16And it's on to the next game for Liverpool.

02:19Yeah, just quickly on Luis Diaz, player of the match, most chances created, most dribbles completed.

02:25He had a great night at Anfield.

02:26And, you know, we mentioned a few times the over-reliance on Mohamed Salah at times.

02:31And Diaz is one of those players who you don't really quite know how his future's going to pan out.

02:36Quite a solid statement from him last night.

02:40Yeah, you know what, I like Luis Diaz when he plays like a traditional winger,

02:45when he gets the ball, gets his defender one-on-one.

02:48And Jake O'Brien's at the centre half, playing right back.

02:51He's defensively really good, he's enjoying a really good moment.

02:55And it was a good battle from the outer.

02:57I'd say Mohamed Salah didn't do too much.

03:00I can't remember him having too much involvement, bar that header in the first half.

03:04He was really quiet.

03:05And that's the sort of performances you remember from Diaz when he first joined the club.

03:09He liked to isolate his defender, he liked to go one-on-one.

03:13He hasn't been getting to the byline enough for me this season when he's played on the left.

03:17And you want to see that a little bit more, and you did.

03:19Keeping defenders guessing when you go off the byline a couple of times.

03:23Maybe the cross might be as good on your left foot as it might be,

03:26but you put that element of doubt in the defender's mind

03:29and you can cut inside, which he prefers to do.

03:32So, yeah, as you say, it was a good performance from Luis Diaz.

03:36And I think Cody Gaspo has generally been favoured,

03:40since maybe October, November time on the left.

03:44He's done a little bit more than Diaz in terms of goalscoring,

03:48but it's definitely Luis Diaz's birth to lose now.

03:52Yeah, and in terms of Everton, obviously going to Anfield and coming away 1-0 losers,

03:56but David Moyes was certain that it was a solid performance

04:00and they maybe got unlucky on the night, the offside controversy.

04:03Then again, you probably could argue they got lucky at having 11 men still on the pitch

04:08after Tarkovsky's challenge on McAllister.

04:11What did you make of it from an Everton standpoint?

04:14I thought the first half was goals.

04:16I thought they got the game plan really well executed.

04:20Beto was a handful.

04:22I like Beto in those sorts of games.

04:24There's the games where he's off the leash and just say,

04:27right, just go and cause a bit of havoc.

04:29Just go and run at defenders because he can cause issues

04:34and say if that goal goes in, then Everton have got a lead to defend.

04:40The goal, I can see why David Moyes was really irked by it

04:44because I thought it should be offside.

04:47Obviously, the rules did take days.

04:50James Tarkovsky, if Lewis Diaz isn't behind him,

04:54he either leaves him and goes to Jordan Pickfords

04:56or he takes a touch and clears rather than trying to clear on the slice.

05:00As you say, the red card, I think David Moyes looked back and forth

05:04if it was a red card.

05:05I don't think there would have been too many complaints.

05:07The second half was a little bit disappointing from Everton.

05:10It didn't carry much of a threat.

05:12I can't really remember them having any chances of goal, really.

05:17One counter-attacker, Jack Harrison, wasted.

05:22Other than that, I can't remember too much.

05:24But it could have been what if.

05:29But Everton, against nine matches unbeaten,

05:33have been beaten 1-0 by a team in Liverpool

05:36who've lost once in the league all season

05:38and are going to win the title.

05:41There's definitely a lot of positives to take.

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