Liverpool

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We asked for your views on Liverpool conceding a last-gasp equaliser against Everton in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

Here are some of your comments:

Geoffrey: A courageous performance from Liverpool against an intimidating atmosphere and team who tried their best to knock us out of our stride, but failed to. Mo Salah again proving himself to be a deserving man of the match.

Joel: It was disappointing to concede in the last minute but, looking at the whole game, Everton played well and we didn't deserve to win. We didn't create enough chances and we let Everton dictate the game they wanted to play. I was very proud of Curtis Jones at the end too. Pathetic behaviour from Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Malcolm: Tame, nervous and void of creativity. We need to improve or we risk getting caught.

Marilyn: Oh why, oh why didn't we play our lovely passing to feet game from the start? It gets results and, if nothing else, it draws fouls! It was great scrap for the neutral, but it leaves a sour taste for Reds fans.

Ben: That was a crucial two points dropped, in a game which could have a bearing on the title race. There is still a seven point gap but we are a team who, in previous years, have been known to throw away title challenges, so any points dropped gives belief to the chasing pack. It's true that one result shouldn't mean pushing the panic button, but this showed how much the team relies on Salah.

Tim: Michael Oliver played way too much extra time and VAR went missing for the foul on Konate for Everton's equaliser. I was disappointed with the officiating in such a high pressure game.

John: Take the point and move on. It wasn't a foul leading up to Everton's first goal, the final whistle should have been blown before their second goal, and there was a foul on Konate leading up to it. Everton were very lucky!

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We asked for your views on Everton clinching a last-gasp equaliser against Liverpool in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

Here are some of your comments:

Suzie: For James Tarkowski to score the equaliser, after the unjustified grief he received following the Bournemouth game, was absolutely perfect. What a captain, what a goal, and what an amazing final Goodison Park Merseyside derby! I felt exhausted watching it. I'm off to have a lie down in a dark room.

Jeff: What a way to end the last derby at Goodison Park! Tarkowski went from zero to hero. Goodison Park exploded and not even VAR could ruin the party. Onwards, Evertonians!

Andy: To all the Liverpool fans whinging about decisions going against them, welcome to our world over the last 40 years. If I listed every derby injustice Everton have suffered, I would be here all week. An amazing battling performance, with such passion from the players and fans, and losing would have been a travesty. Well done Moyes and the lads - a fitting final derby at Goodison in so many ways.

Richard: Gutsy and dogged. It was a little bit light on quality but you can really see the David Moyes effect working. Everton deserved at least a point.

Ivor: Unbelievable 'never say die' attitude! Talk about pride and commitment, we have got a brilliant mentality. Our injuries are a worry though.

Anton: What is it about Everton number sixes and last-minute volleys? No more than what we deserved. Moyes got it spot on. The players were very good and, crucially, we didn't lose Goodison's last-ever derby, even though it looked like them lot were going to steal a win with a very lucky and against-the-run-of-play goal. I think that turned out to be a fitting last-ever Goodison derby, don't you? You have to love/laugh at the full-time scenes too!

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Brian Sorensen says his Everton team "need to get everything right" if they are to beat Chelsea in the Women's Super League on Sunday (14:00 GMT kick-off).

The Toffees will be hoping to avoid back-to-back defeats by Chelsea after Sunday's 4-1 loss to Sonia Bompastor's side in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Everton had opened the scoring at Kingsmeadow, but the hosts levelled following a controversial penalty decision as Emma Watson was judged to have fouled Ashley Lawrence.

"It wasn't a penalty. It was clearly outside, like not even close," Sorensen said. "It was just a game that slipped away from us on a unfair decision.

"If they [had not] got that penalty awarded, it will be 1-0 up at half-time and then we can make a plan and we're very good at seeing games out."

Sorensen believes going in front against Chelsea on Sunday is crucial to their hopes of a victory against the WSL leaders.

"You need to be leading against Chelsea going into the last half an hour.

"Otherwise, I won't say it's impossible because nothing is impossible in football - we also saw that last night - but it just takes something extraordinary to get back when they are that good.

"We need to get everything right. We can't make mistakes."

Here are more key lines from Sorensen's news conference:

• Clare Wheeler will be available after the international break.

• Sorensen is "really pleased" to add Jennifer Foster to his coaching team, adding that the former Leicester interim boss is "very knowledgeable and a good coach that certainly will help us go forward".

• He thinks Chelsea are "probably the best team in Europe".

• Everton will "play some games behind closed doors" during the international break.

• Sorensen has not heard whether the club are planning any last outing for the women's team at Goodison Park.

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• Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 23 goals in Liverpool's 13 Premier League away games this season (14 goals, nine assists), the most ever away goal involvements in a single season by any player in the competition's history, overtaking Andy Cole's 21 in 1993-94.

• Liverpool attempted six shots against Everton, their lowest total in a single match in the Premier League this season.

• Salah has 14 assists in the Premier League this season, his most ever in a single campaign in the competition, and the second-most by any Liverpool player in a Premier League campaign, behind only Steve McManaman in 1995-96 (15).

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Defender Andy Robertson believes "a lot of people would have taken" the prospect of Liverpool being seven points clear at the top of the Premier League in mid-February.

Arne Slot's side extended their gap at the top of the Premier League table with Wednesday's dramatic 2-2 draw at Everton, but they did have the opportunity to go nine points clear with a win.

Nonetheless, Robertson is seeing the positives regarding the gap at the top in what many thought would be a transitionary season for the Reds given Slot's summer appointment.

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside after the Goodison Park draw, Robertson said: "When you come here, you know what to expect and I think that heightened a little bit with it being the last derby here.

"We knew what we were coming into and, for the large part, we did it well. Don't get me wrong, we could have played much better football but I thought we were right up for the fight.

"When you are winning in the 96th minute, you want to see the game out but unfortunately we probably didn't get enough bodies back when they committed their centre-backs into the box.

"It is a frustration from our point of view. We also believe there was a foul in the build-up, but we have to move on from it.

"There's nothing worse than having games in hand. You always want to be on level games and see where it takes you, so we are glad that the game in hand is out of the way.

"But we wanted three points and we wanted to be nine points clear. The fact that we're seven points clear, I think a lot of people would have taken that in mid-February."

Listen to the full post-match interview on BBC Sounds

A night of raised corner flags...

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A night of local pride and hostility...

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A night where some saw red...

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Others saw blue...

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One to cherish while a city still has two grounds with such a view.

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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."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

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

Want more news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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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."