'We fought all the way' - Pickfordpublished at 12:13 3 April
12:13 3 April
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Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford praised the "fight and character" of the team in their Merseyside derby defeat by Liverpool.
He told BBC Radio Merseyside: "It's never nice to get beat but I think the fight and the character from all of us was great.
"We didn't give in - we fought all the way and one goal in it against the league leaders. They've only lost one game all season so it was a good game and I think we created a few chances, probably could have created more.
"But I think our resilience as a team was good and we need to build on that because we've got a tough few games - that's what the Premier League is all about - playing the best teams."
He added: "I think we've always had that resilience, that grit and determination to keep the ball out of the net and not just from the back four and myself. It's the full team putting a shift in.
"It's how do we improve that 10 per cent, quality with the ball, how do we create more chances? We become an even better team - keep pushing and getting better as a unit."
Liverpool 1-0 Everton - the fans' verdictpublished at 09:35 3 April
09:35 3 April
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We asked for your views on Liverpool's Premier League win over against Everton.
Here are some of your comments:
Liverpool fans
Tommy: Hard-won game with Everton parking the bus and time-wasting. Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah's form has dropped dramatically and both were carried throughout the match while Andy Robertson and Ibou Konate were best at the back. Luis Diaz was like a wasp at a picnic and Dominik Szoboszlai never stopped running. We do need to play better though.
Tyra: Not a great performance but we'll take the three points. If one of our players did what James Tarkowski did, it would have been a straight red immediately without any need for VAR. Ridiculous.
Ken: It was never going to be easy against this Everton team and their tactics so it feels even more satisfying to come out on top after a war of attrition. The team was the star here in battling for every ball. That said, the standard of officiating on the pitch and in the VAR booth was woeful again.
Tim: On the whole we deserved the win but I was concerned how easy our centre-backs were beaten by Beto. Poor defending by both at times and they are world class . And what has happened to Salah? It was like playing with 10 men. That said three hard-fought points and we move on.
Yusuf: Great way to bounce back from a difficult period and no better opponent than our enemies across Stanley Park. Diaz gave 100% throughout and it was a well-taken goal from Jota. And please cut Salah some slack - he has been quiet recently but that is just natural - he's not going to score or assist every game. Just need to keep the machine going for another eight games.
Everton fans
Lee: A decent hard-working performance, and definitely a red card! But the game was won by a goalscorer, which sadly is something we lack! Tough run of games to play but it's in our own hands to stay up.
Mozza: Decent performance but was expecting more. Doucoure and Harrison were a complete waste of time and should not get on the pitch again this season. We should play Broja or Chermiti instead of Beto if they are going to be the future.
Jeff: We could - and might even should - have been ahead with Beto's chance. That's the crucial moment in the match for me. Not the two VAR decicions. But on those matters: Tarkowski was lucky to get away with a yellow and he defended clumsily for their goal. Instead of critising the VAR for a possible offside, we should rather be critical at Tarkowski. He has become a liability this season.
Barry: The right result. We didn't create too much and the massive difference of Liverpool's spend on their squad compared to ours ultimately showed through. Might have been different if Beto had scored rather than hitting the post, but the gulf in class will need to be closed if we hope to get anywhere near European spots, starting with a major overhaul this summer.
Alan: Not the best performance from Everton but considering the injuries list it wasn't bad. I'll take a 1-0 defeat at Anfield by the champions elect. But we must invest in the summer.
Should Jota's goal have stood?published at 08:56 3 April
08:56 3 April
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When Ryan Gravenberch played a ball forward, Luis Diaz was standing in an offside position behind the final Everton defender - albeit he made no movement toward the ball.
Liverpool then recycled the play and Diaz's cute backheel was finished off by Diogo Jota for what turned out to be the winner.
Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite was convinced it should have been flagged offside, immediately putting his arms in the air and baying for a free-kick to no avail.
Branthwaite told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I have seen the goal back and it is offside. As a defender, if the player is behind then you are going to try and stop the ball. You are not going to let it run through you.
"I said to the referee: 'Are you looking at that incident there?' He said they were. So if they were and then they gave it, I don't really understand.
"It is one of them. He didn't give offside, it's a bit disappointing but we can't do anything about it now."
Was Tarkowski just 'reckless' or using 'excessive force'?published at 08:53 3 April
08:53 3 April
Shamoon Hafez BBC Sport football news reporter
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Even Everton manager David Moyes considered his captain James Tarkowski "lucky" to stay on the pitch.
Explaining the decision, the Premier League Match Centre said on X: "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."
The key word here is "reckless", which according to the laws of the game merits a yellow card rather than a red.
However, Liverpool - and many onlookers - felt Tarkowski's challenge was not just reckless but also was made with excessive force.
According to law 12, as explained on the Football Association's website, "a tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play".
It continues: "Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play."
'Offside goal' is the 'difference' - Moyespublished at 23:50 2 April
23:50 2 April
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Everton boss David Moyes, speaking to Sky Sports: "I think we are a lot closer to them tonight than possibly when I came to the club than what I expected.
"Over the two games we have given them a good game. Tonight was really tight. An offside goal which they get and that's the difference in the game tonight."
On thinking Diogo Jota's goal should not stand: "The players behind Jarrad [Branthwaite] interfere with him clearing it. It is an easy decision to give. I cannot understand any reason why that wasn't given offside."
On James Tarkowski VAR decision: "First thought, it was a brilliant tackle for a derby game. A tackle we would have seen a few years ago.
"I understand nowadays things are slightly different with follow-throughs. We might have got a bit lucky, don't put that with the goal because the goal was a different incident that won Liverpool the game."
On the game overall: "Liverpool were the better team and that's why they're top of the league, but we showed great resilience and we stuck at it.
"A bit gut-wrenching when you feel the end result has come from something which wasn't deserved.
"We have been on a great run, the players have been doing brilliantly well. First defeat in 10 games.
"I thought we tried to close that gap from their levels to our levels tonight. At the moment they're the best team in the league.
"Tonight, we have done a lot of things not as well as we should have done."
'I'm not a referee and I wouldn't want to be' - Pickfordpublished at 23:29 2 April
23:29 2 April
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Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, speaking to Sky Sports on the James Tarkowski VAR decision: "You've seen at the end he apologised, it's probably a bit of a high foot but he's done what he's done and he's apologised after the game.
"The VAR says it's not a red card so that's the decision. It's a game of football as well."
On Diogo Jota goal: "In the moment I can't see what's happening, but Jarrad [Branthwaite] said it was a stonewall offside straight away. But I'm not a referee and I wouldn't want to be. It's a big debate and we'll see what the referees come out and say.
"As a team we thought it was offside but that's football. We're disappointed with that decision but it can't be perfect always."
Liverpool 1-0 Everton: Did you know?published at 23:10 2 April
23:10 2 April
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Everton's James Tarkowski, who was booked against Liverpool, has the joint most yellow cards without ever being sent off in Premier League history (63).
He also made his 300th Premier League appearance – since his debut in August 2016, the only outfield player with more games is Tottenham's Son Heung-Min (301).
Liverpool 1-0 Everton - send us your thoughtspublished at 21:57 2 April
'We're just really happy to have Moyes back' - Gueyepublished at 13:11 2 April
13:11 2 April
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Idrissa Gueye says he and his Everton team-mates are "really happy" to have David Moyes back as manager.
"With his experience, he just gives it to us on the training ground," Gueye told BBC Radio Merseyside's Giulia Bould.
"He gives us more confidence, more ideas on how to win games, how to play, and how to have more confidence on the pitch.
"That's why we've started winning games and hopefully we will win the next game [against Liverpool].
"He is Mr Premier League! We're just really happy to have him back."
Gueye also returned to Everton after time elsewhere - moving to Paris St-Germain from 2019 to 2022 - and was aware of the club's recent struggles when choosing to move back from the French giants.
"I knew it would be difficult but I was ready for this," he added.
"That's why I came back - to fight with my team-mates, to fight for the club and try to get the club in the best position."
Sutton's predictions: Liverpool v Evertonpublished at 10:38 2 April
10:38 2 April
Liverpool have had a break since going out of the Champions League and losing the Carabao Cup final, and I don't think we will see them wobble here. Quite the opposite in fact, now their focus is just on the Premier League.
The Reds also felt wronged by Everton's late equaliser at Goodison Park in February so there will be all of that bubbling under, and Arne Slot's side will feel they have a point to prove.
They are going to put Everton under all sorts of pressure, but the Toffees will be well organised defensively and have an eye on a counter-attack too.
Everton boss David Moyes has transformed a team that was lacking belief, and he would love nothing more than to go to Anfield and get something.
I am expecting a typical derby, in that I would not be surprised if this is another emotional game as well as an explosive one, with maybe a couple of players losing their heads.
There will be plenty of drama along the way, but I am pretty sure Liverpool will be back to their best form and end up taking the three points.
Liverpool v Everton: Slot and Moyes on Merseyside derbypublished at 09:28 2 April
09:28 2 April
Media caption,
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is not expecting anything different from the previous Merseyside derby this season, while Everton boss David Moyes is hoping to turn around his Anfield form.
In their delayed February meeting, the Toffees scored late on to rescue a controversial 2-2 draw, with Slot one of four people to receive a red card after the full-time whistle.
"Football-wise, I expect the same," said the Dutchman.
"It would be a surprise if they are going to do anything different, and we are top of the league so it would be strange if we were going to change something as well.
"In the final stages of the season, every game matters."
The Reds have lost just one of their past 24 top-flight home matches against Everton, while Moyes has yet to win at Anfield as manager in 21 attempts.
"I'd be lying if I said I look forward to going to it [Anfield] all the time," the former Manchester United and West Ham manager said.
"We might be further away from Liverpool than we ever have been at the moment.
"I want to win and I want to make sure we get rid of [this record] at Anfield."
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