Liverpool grind out Everton derby win as VAR takes centre stage – 5 talking points

LIVERPOOL 1-0 EVERTON: A goal from Diogo Jota separated the two Merseyside clubs in a game which had much less drama than their last meeting but still packed a punch

Not even the magic of David Moyes’ honeymoon period could get Everton a win at Anfield, as Diogo Jota’s second-half strike was enough to earn Liverpool all three points in the Merseyside derby. The Reds regained their 12-point lead in the Premier League title race but were made to sweat after multiple Everton scares in the first half.

Beto had the ball in the back of the Liverpool net in the 20th minute before his goal was ruled out for a narrow offside. The Toffees striker then hit the post before half-time, although Everton couldn’t count themselves too unlucky given how James Tarkowski somehow escaped a sending off after his tackle on Alexis Mac Allister.

Moyes was hoping for his first ever win at Anfield at the 22nd attempt. None of his Everton, Sunderland, Manchester United or West Ham sides had ever come out on top.

Arne Slot, meanwhile, was looking to beat Everton for the first time, having gone within seconds of a victory when the teams last met in February. Everton scored a 98th-minute equaliser to snatch a 2-2 draw in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, where sparks flew.

Here are five talking points from Anfield.

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1. Slot’s bold decision

The first eyebrows raised at Anfield were when the teamsheets came through. With Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez all out injured, Jarell Quansah was expected to start at right-back, as he’d done in the Carabao Cup final.

But no, Curtis Jones was the surprise selection. A midfielder by trade, Jones had previously played in the role three times under Jurgen Klopp, most recently in September 2023, though.

Jamie Carragher understood Arne Slot’s thinking, saying on Sky Sports: “I felt the manager wouldn’t play Quansah in that position because Liverpool are at home, they’re going to be on the ball a lot more and it didn’t go particularly well in the cup final.

“Jones has played there before under Jurgen Klopp. But it’s definitely an area Everton can look at to try to hurt Liverpool.”

2. Tarkowski escapes red card

In this era of forensic refereeing and heightened player protection, you rarely see a challenge like James Tarkowski’s not result in a red card. The Everton centre-back and hero of Feburary’s derby thundered into a slide tackle on Alexis Mac Allister, booming the ball away but catching the Liverpool midfielder high on the leg with his studs.

On-field referee Samuel Barrott gave Tarkowski a yellow card but after replays, it felt like VAR was bound to intervene. A check ensued but to the surprise of everyone watching at home, it was completed and Barrott’s decision stood.

“It is a horrible tackle,” Gary Neville said on commentary. “It’s a red card – speed, intensity, force, the lot,” added ex-Premier League referee Mike Dean. Everton legend Duncan Ferguson went as far as to say that Tarkowski ‘knew what he was doing’, admitting that it should’ve been a ‘straight red’.

The Premier League explained the decision by posting on their Match Centre account: “The referee’s call of yellow card for a reckless foul by Tarkowski was checked by the VAR, with contact on the follow through after Tarkowski had played the ball deemed to be reckless.”

Should James Tarkowski have been sent off? Have your say in the comments section.

3. Beto spares Van Dijk’s blushes

Throughout all of David Moyes’ 21 previous trips to Anfield – none of which ended in a win – he’ll have dreamed of the kind of chance which fell to Beto midway through the first way. The Everton striker did enough to put Ibrahima Konate off his header, sending the ball through to Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Suddenly, Beto – who’d had a goal disallowed for a narrow offside on 20 minutes – was in acres of space in the centre circle and Doucoure played him through. A poor first touch stopped Beto in his tracks but he did excellently to outwit Virgil van Dijk and poke the ball beyond Liverpool’s captain.

Caoimhin Kelleher, starting in place of the injured Alisson, did his best to narrow down the angle and when Beto shot, the Kop held its breath. There was then a hugh sigh of relief when the ball hit the post and back to safety for Liverpool. It was a glorious opportunity, well and truly against the run of play.

4. Jota ends his drought

If you’re going to score your first goal in two-and-a-half months, can it get much better than breaking the deadlock in a derby at the Kop End? Diogo Jota hadn’t seen his name on the scoresheet since January 14 when he netted in the 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.

His assist for Portugal during the international break was a sign that he was getting closer and he repaid Slot’s faith to start him ahead of Cody Gakpo with a neat goal. Jota created the chance by pick-pocketing James Garner before Luis Diaz flicked the ball back into his path.

Jota then took it away from both Idrissa Gana Gueye and Tarkowski, finishing past Jordan Pickford with aplomb. There was a brief suggestion that Diaz was offside in the build-up but the goal stood and Liverpool were ahead on 57 minutes.

5. Nunez receives bizarre booking

As Liverpool searched for a second goal to wrap the game up, substitute Darwin Nunez went bounding forward after Dominik Szoboszlai hooked the ball long. Nunez beat Jordan Pickford to it and the England goalkeeper mistimed his clearance, taking the Uruguayan out.

The whistle, however, had already gone for a foul on Szoboszlai, so no penalty was given. Nunez was down in pain, just as Pickford had been more briefly. Referee Barrott pulled out a yellow card, bizarrely for Nunez despite Pickford being the man who initiated the contact. Nunez wasn’t pleased but he could be once the full-time whistle sounded.

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