Liverpool thought they had this historic Merseyside derby under control. With time slipping away, Mohamed Salah’s second-half strike looked set to seal a 2-1 victory. But in the eighth minute of injury time, James Tarkowski rose above the crowd and drove a header into the net. Goodison Park exploded in disbelief, and the officials signaled a lengthy VAR check.
The minutes dragged. Everton fans held their breath, uncertain if the final Merseyside derby at Goodison would be remembered for heartbreak or heroics. Once Tarkowski’s goal stood, a roar filled the stadium. The Everton players rushed toward their supporters, celebrating with unbridled relief.
Tempers boil over
Then came the chaos after full-time. Abdoulaye Doucoure, seeing the Liverpool section nearby, made a shushing gesture. Curtis Jones sprinted straight for him, shoving the Everton midfielder and sparking a melee that spilled across the touchline. Teammates sprinted in from all angles. Security staff did what they could, but bodies kept piling in.
Having already blown the full-time whistle, referee Michael Oliver found himself in the eye of a storm. Doucoure and Jones were both shown red cards. Moments later, Liverpool manager Arne Slot received one.
Asked about his dramatic equalizer, Tarkowski told TNT Sports, “I’m proud of my team tonight because it’s a tough game against these, we stuck at it.” His side, now 15th in the table, remains ten points clear of the drop zone. Liverpool still sit top, though their advantage over Arsenal shrinks to seven points with 14 matches left.
Rio Ferdinand, speaking as a pundit, sympathized with Jones’s reaction. “I’ve been there,” Ferdinand said. “Mario Balotelli at Wembley in front of our fans, I was incensed.” Liverpool fans shared that outrage, but some admitted the derby’s passion can push players into reckless territory.
For Everton, the draw felt more like a victory. The final whistle might have ended the match, but the aftershocks of this derby will be felt for some time. You can add this one to the grand collection of Merseyside moments.
