Premier League Match Review - Everton vs Liverpool
Three things we can say about Everton 0-0 Liverpool
Politics in football is now ok, at least for this week
Three months ago it was hard to imagine that English football would be shutdown for months, but it happened. One month ago it was even harder to imagine that when football finally started again, lockdown would not be the biggest off-field story. But it isn’t. The Black Lives Matter uprisings have changed all that. And they have also changed UEFA’s long standing attempts to keep politics out of football.
In 1997 Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler showed a t-shirt supporting his city’s striking dock workers after scoring in a European tie. He was fined by UEFA who said ‘it is a strict rule that a football ground is not the right stage for political demonstrations.’ UEFA has tried to enforce this policy in all its competitions and national leagues ever since.
Until now. At Everton v Liverpool this week all players had Black Lives Matter stitched on their shirts, and all players took the knee before the game. Unlike in 1997, the authorities did not try to stop them. They had little choice. This is a player led movement. Many players have been angered by the football authorities’ weak action against racism in recent years. The Premier League was wise not to deny them their voice. What happens next week and the week after, however, remains to be seen.
Liverpool struggle to break Everton down
The game looked more like a pre-season friendly than a league game involving a team on the cusp of a title. Klopp’s line-up set the tone. For the past two seasons he has barely changed a winning team. But in this game Takumi Minamino and Naby Keita, who have both struggled for game time, got the nod. It did not do Liverpool’s attacking fluency any favours. Everton were happy to sit deep, and when they did get the ball they gave it away cheaply. But Liverpool struggled to do much with all their possession. Perhaps it didn’t help that much of their play was coming down the right, where the unfamiliar pair of Alexander-Arnold and Minamino did not gel. That left the incisive Mané marginalised. Liverpool’s lopsided attack nearly brought dividends though midway through the first half. With Everton’s defence sucked over to the right, Mané suddenly found himself in space on the left during on a Liverpool mini break. Only Keita didn’t pass to him, and wasted Liverpool’s best chance of the game with a tame shot. The extra substitutions did not help either. Liverpool’s attacking structures frayed the more the second half wore on.
Everton unlucky not to nick it
Everton’s midfield looked ragged for most of the game. But it nearly didn’t matter. When they sprung forward they looked up for it, none more so than Richarlison. A dangerous shot cum cross from the Brazilian in the second minute was a warning. Deep into the second half he caused panic amongst Liverpool’s backline, particularly after Matip was forced off with an injury and Lovren came on. But Liverpool scrambled well and Everton were denied a derby win yet again.
