Liverpool

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The last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park did not disappoint, with four goals, four red cards, a VAR wait and a post-match scrap.

The night is being labelled "Mersey Mayhem," on Thursday's national newspaper back pages, while some pundits and fans are calling it a "fitting end" to such a fierce rivalry at the famous venue.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said on X, external: "That was a classic! Sickener at the end but fair play to the Blues as the goal was a cracker. Fitting way I suppose to end this fixture at Goodison. I know people think I'm the celebration police, but I do hope that lad kept the corner flag! Seven points clear, 14 to go."

And as the Reds' challenge for the Premier League title continues to mount, they will now be without head coach Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff as they were both shown red cards by referee Michael Oliver at full-time.

That means former Everton defender Johnny Heitinga will be leading Liverpool on the touchline for the next two games, with popular outlet The Anfield Wrap cheekily posting on X:, external: "Johnny Heitinga will be leading Liverpool FC on the touchline for the next two games. Not a sentence I ever thought I'd say!"

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Goodison Park is one of the grand sporting theatres, and the final Merseyside derby played out at the old place delivered the dramatic last act it deserved before the doors are finally locked.

The concluding scenes included a 98th-minute equaliser from James Tarkowski, only given after the stadium held its breath for several minutes while the video assistant referee checked for offside and a foul.

And then, when the goal was awarded to give Everton a deserved 2-2 draw, tempers boiled over with Abdoulaye Doucoure needlessly taunting Liverpool's fans, to the annoyance of Curtis Jones, sparking a full-on brawl that saw both sent off.

They were followed by Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff, who were furious with referee Michael Oliver, as this derby descended into chaos with police, stewards and players all involved.

Everton manager David Moyes said: "It was mayhem all game. A bit of a throwback. The place was boiling hot all night. It was an incredible atmosphere."

And in those few words, Moyes summed up the special magic of Goodison Park.

It may be creaking in parts, but on fiery nights like this with Liverpool as the opposition, it literally rocks - parts of it really do - with a glorious support and naked hostility like few other places in world football.

Everton may have that state-of-the-art new stadium on Bramley-Moore Dock ready to go next season, but it is an almost impossible task to replicate what they have in this place - ramshackle and old-fashioned in parts admittedly, hence the need to move.

Goodison Park was never going to go quietly, but this was something else - full of emotion, passion and all the wild scenes of indiscipline Moyes called "to-ing and fro-ing" after the final whistle.

It may have pillars blocking some of the views, but it still has so much that will be missed with its towering Main Stand and the criss-cross designs on the stands that are the trademark of famous Scottish architect Archibald Leitch. It has a heart and soul no architect can design.

Read more from Phil on a night of Goodison mayhem here

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"That was a proper derby and it was like rolling back the years."

That's the view of former Premier League defender Gary Cahill.

Indeed, the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park did not disappoint, with four goals, four red cards, a VAR wait and a post-match scrap.

"On the whole, it was played in a great way and there was a lot of passion and fight in the game," Cahill told the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "I know that it spilled over at the end but the game itself was very competitive with tackles flying in.

"What an end to the game, but also what a finish from James Tarkowski. That was a striker's finish because it was an absolute rocket of a touch.

"Everton have come away feeling like they won the game. The VAR wait almost added to the atmosphere because it gave the fans another a chance to celebrate when the goal was given.

"A phenomenal end to the game."

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Everton would like to bring in former player David Weir as their director of football, a position the 54-year-old Scot currently occupies at Brighton. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

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Real Madrid are ready to step up their pursuit of Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the Spanish giants confident of signing the 26-year-old England international. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Al-Hilal boss Jorge Jesus wants to sign Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah this summer, with the 32-year-old out of contract at the end of the season. (Daily Mirror), external

But hopes of signing Salah are fading among clubs in Saudi Arabia, who feel they are being used as leverage in contract negotiations. (The I), external

Liverpool insist 25-year-old striker Darwin Nunez is not for sale, despite interest from the Saudi Pro-League. (Mail - subscription required), external

Sheffield United are keen on signing 22-year-old defender Owen Beck and 19-year-old forward Lewis Koumas from Liverpool, if they win promotion to the Premier League. The Welsh duo are currently on loan at Blackburn and Stoke respectively. (Mail - subscription required), external

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Liverpool's fans were taunting their Everton counterparts with chants of "we won the league at Goodison Park" just moments before James Tarkowski denied them the victory they thought was theirs.

It was a response to Everton fans directing "you lost the league at Goodison Park" after Liverpool were defeated here near the end of last season.

And those supporters would have had every right to believe the title was on its way back to Anfield as Salah's late strike looked to be putting them nine points clear of Arsenal.

In the end, Liverpool had to settle for a point - a fair outcome for all the controversy surrounding the equaliser.

Head coach Arne Slot, who cut an agitated figure all night as Everton's fans urged their team on with deafening noise, was furious Tarkowski's goal was allowed and appeared unhappy with referee Michael Oliver throughout.

Liverpool were not quite themselves, with Everton making life uncomfortable, but their disappointment will be even more acute because they looked to be closing out the win without too many alarms until those wild closing seconds.

They can console themselves by still holding a very healthy seven point lead at the top of the league.

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From a final Goodison Park derby that looked like ending in disappointing defeat, Everton showed the revived spirit and character brought by the return of David Moyes as manager to provide a climax of genuine sporting theatre.

Everton's fans exploded with joy when James Tarkowski fired an unstoppable shot high past Alisson in the 98th minute - but the celebrations were put on hold for what seemed like an age as checks were carried out for offside and a foul on Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.

The old stadium rocked when the goal was confirmed and Everton emerged with real honour and credit, having made sure they did not end derby games at Goodison on a losing note.

The brawl after the final whistle was unsavoury, Abdoulaye Doucoure needlessly goading Liverpool's fans to the fury of Curtis Jones, but all the fire and fury of a remarkable evening encapsulated what Goodison Park is about.

Moyes has rejuvenated Everton - Beto in particular, with the striker showing a composure rarely seen previously - and they even overcame the first-half loss of key man Iliman Ndiaye to injury.

The manner in which Everton pushed Liverpool all the way, then claimed a point, was the sort of performance Goodison Park deserved and was another example of their improvement under Moyes.

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Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman, speaking on TNT Sports: "It is apt really that the last game at Goodison Park is a game like this. Like an old school 80s game.

"There was not a load of quality in the game but it was wild, it had passion, it had fight.

"There were a number of sending offs at the end, people wanted to antagonise each other and fight each other. It was fitting it ended in absolute chaos.

"Abdoulaye Doucoure had 37,000 of his own fans to go and celebrate in front of. To go and antagonise the Liverpool fans was a silly decision. It was only going to end one way.

"Doucoure is an important player and if Everton go on and lose in their next game it will have been proved an even worse decision."

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Everton manager 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. [Tarkowski] had the quality which was the one that really mattered."

On Tarkowski scoring on his 100th Premier League appearance for Everton: "I think after his game last weekend he'll be pleased he got the goal. He scored a great goal tonight and it will be remembered in history."

On how this game compares to others he has managed: "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."

On what has changed since he took over as Everton manager: "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're suddenly creating a few more chances than we had. All praise to the players."

On Abdoulaye Doucoure's sending off: "I'm disappointed with Doucoure because we need him, we're down on numbers at the moment. We've got to be careful what we do.

"Discipline is never easy sometimes in these games and tonight was a game where quite easily sending offs happen."

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Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, speaking to MOTD: "Very tough. To concede an equaliser that late is always disappointing.

"We saw the celebrations they had in the end so we know how much it meant for them but the fact is it was disappointing for us. We take the point and move onto Wolves now.

"We came back, got to 2-1 but unfortunately we couldn't get it over the line. We had to keep fighting, we kept doing that but in the end it wasn't enough to get it over the line."

On the clash of players at the end: "It was a very big provocation from one certain player. We all saw it and reacted as a team as we were able to do. You know what happens nowadays, it becomes one big tussle. Then it is not me who has to deal with it, it is the referee and today I am not sure he had it fully under control."

On the title fight: "We have put ourselves in a solid position. We all know we have so many difficult games coming up. We need everyone at their best.

"Everyone should be disappointed on the last part of this game but from tomorrow the focus will be on recovery.

"The main thing for us is to completely focus on ourselves, and as fans as well, don't look at what others are doing and writing, just focus on us.

"Every game will be tough until the end of the season, then we will see at the end of the road if it is enough. But we have put ourselves in a good position and we have to keep fighting."

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Everton goalscorer James Tarkowski, speaking to TNT Sports: "Early on I got a chance and I panicked a bit.

"Late on I just decided to get in the box, it dropped, I just let it go and see what happens. Amazing to score and what an amazing night.

"I just saw the ball going wide and thought 'last minute, why not?'. It managed to fall to me and I let it rip."

On what the wait for the VAR check felt like: "I don't score many so I thought it would have been typical if it was disallowed. I had a tough weekend so it's nice to get one back."

On what it means for the fans: "Listen to [the noise from the stands], that's amazing. These will remember it. I'm just proud of my team, [we] stuck at it, they [Liverpool] didn't create much, and we got the goal at the end."

On what he made of Everton's performance: "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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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.

It was also Liverpool's second-latest conceded on record against any side in the competition, after Robin van Persie's goal for Arsenal in April 2011 (97:10).

This was the 120th and final Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park in all competitions. Both sides have won exactly 41 each of those fixtures (D38).

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Goodison Park will host its 120th and final Merseyside derby on Wednesday, more than130 years after the first in 1894.

There have been some classic games but in recent years, the main theme of derbies on the blue side of Stanley Park has been cancelling one another out,.

In total, as the above data from Opta Analyst shows, 37 of the 119 derbies at Goodison have been draws, external, including nine of the past 12 Premier League meetings.

And if points were not hard enough to come by, so are goals. Across 119 meetings, there are only six goals between the two teams, with Everton having scored 141 goals and Liverpool 147.

However, those goals have also dried up in recent seasons, as five of their last 10 meetings at Goodison have ended 0-0.

Either way, besides playing for the usual derby pride, the bragging rights regarding the last victory at Goodison are at stake and the winner will also forever hold a 42-41 advantage over the other.

That is because at 41 apiece, both teams have won the same number of games.

We are set for a big night under the lights at Goodison Park.