Everton deny Liverpool as Merseyside derby ends in chaos – as it happened
Everton 2-2 Liverpool: The hosts rescued a late draw with the last kick of an eventful final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park
Everton captain James Tarkowski equalised deep into stoppage time to earn them a 2-2 Premier League draw against Liverpool in a dramatic final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Liverpool extended their lead atop the league table to seven points over second-placed Arsenal with what had been their game in hand, while Everton climbed to 10 points above the drop zone in 15th.
And after 131 years of Goodison derbies, the draw was a fitting ending with the final tally totalling 41 wins apiece and 38 draws.
Liverpool looked poised for victory when Tarkowski struck in the 98th minute with a blistering shot into the top corner. Scores of fans piled onto the pitch before a lengthy VAR review ruled the goal was onside.
Relive the updates from Goodison Park below:
Arne Slot loses cool as flurry of red cards brings Merseyside derby to riotus end
Liverpool manager Arne Slot was shown a red card after a chaotic end to the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
James Tarkowski scored an equaliser late in stoppage time to rescue a point for the hosts which encouraged Abdoulaye Doucoure to celebrate in front of the visiting Liverpool fans.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones was riled up by Doucoure’s actions and shoved the Everton midfielder kicking off a heated melee after the final whistle.
Arne Slot loses cool as flurry of red cards brings Merseyside derby to riotus end
David Moyes speaking to BBC Match of the Day:
"I thought the referee refereed the game well, he didn't get involved with every challenge. I think that it was a bit of an old fashioned game.
"I didn't see it from where I was. I have had a chance to see it and I'm disappointed because Doucoure played really well tonight and I'm going to now lose him because he's got a second yellow card which turned into a red.
"The emotions were running high here all night, the stadium was at fever pitch. You could see what it meant to supporters at the end of the game, the crowd was rocking. It was one of the big nights."
A final word from Moyes:
"It was right up there and it was great at the end. I think the night was maybe made for something to happen.
“It wasn't the greatest, it wasn't the cleanest game of football you've ever watched but it was a bit of a throwback, a bit scrappy for both sides. We had to find a way of making the gap not so big tonight and did a good job of it.
"The fact is I think the players have responded really well in what they've done. We've made more chances. Beto's come in and scored the goal, he's scored for us earlier on as well.
“That's really helped us, we've suddenly creating a few more chances than we had. All praise to the players."
More from Moyes:
"We're trying to improve what we can. We're trying to make things better. Tonight was a night where we had to suit the stadium, a lot of things in the game. We went more direct tonight but it suited us.
"We got it in the end and the point in the end more importantly is a point towards making sure we're a Premier League club.
"I think that us picking up the points regularly is what we've got to try and do between now and the end of the season. I think there's a group here who lack some quality in areas but we've got to try and fill in, we've got a few injuries but hopefully there are signs of one or two coming back."
FT Everton 2-2 Liverpool
Timed at 97:08, James Tarkowski’s equaliser for Everton was the latest goal scored on record (from 2006-07) in a Premier League Merseyside derby.
David Moyes speaking to TNT Sports:
"Mental probably sums it up. A brilliant finish for us, to finish the last Goodison Merseyside derby and score in the last minute is in a way fitting.
"We would have liked to have won the game but at 2-1 down I was just thinking that we probably weren't going to get back in, it just looked like Liverpool would keep us out.
"We worked hard, kept at it, probably had more attempts in the second half than the first. Tarky had the quality which was the one that really mattered."
Goals, cards, and chaotic drama makes Goodison’s last Merseryside derby a thrilling finale
Goodison Park bade farewell to the derby with a reminder of the dangers of underestimating Evertonian defiance, an illustration of this game's enduring capacity for late drama.
“We won the league at Goodison Park,” chorused the Liverpool supporters, eyeing a nine-point lead at the Premier League summit, imagining Mohamed Salah had scored the final goal in this fixture at the most historic of grounds.
Goals, cards, and chaotic drama makes Goodison’s last derby a thrilling finale
FT Everton 2-2 Liverpool
Liverpool are undefeated in their last 20 games in the Premier League.
Their last longer unbeaten streak was from January to August 2022, a run of 21 games.
Jagielka on Slot's red card:
“You can see why Arne Slot was furious. There was a slight little nudge in the box and if that was my team I would be appealing. I would be getting sent off after the game too.
“Slot always talks about staying composed but it seems like he lost a bit of his composure at the end there. That's what a derby does to you.”
More from Tarkowski:
"Listen to [the noise from the stands], that's amazing. These will remember it. I'm just proud of my team, stuck at it, they [Liverpool] didn't create much, and we got the goal at the end.
“We knew it was a tough game but we worked hard, restricted them to a minimum amount of shots.
“Disappointed with the way the goals go in but we've started to score a few goals now, thankfully we got two tonight."
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