Has Virgil van Dijk wrapped up race for Champions League despite Liverpool’s goalkeeper crisis?
Virgil van Dijk scored a 100th minute winner as Liverpool came from behind late to beat Everton in the first Merseyside derby to be played at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and claim a huge Premier League victory.
Mohamed Salah scored Liverpool’s first goal at Everton’s new stadium just two and a half minutes after Iliman Ndiaye thought he had given the hosts a deserved lead, only to have his strike disallowed for offside in the build-up.
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Everton responded well in the second half and got back on level terms when Beto slid in to finish Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s cross, which left Liverpool turning to their third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman after an injury to Giorgio Mamardashvili.
Substitute Rio Ngumoha had a very late chance to win the derby for Liverpool but, in the final minute of 11 minutes of injury time, Van Dijk headed over from a corner and secured a famous victory for the visitors.
That leaves Liverpool seven points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea in the race for the final Champions League spot, with five games of the season remaining. Chelsea lost 1-0 against Manchester United last night.
Did Van Dijk’s latest Merseyside derby winner finish in the top five?
Virgil van Dijk’s first goal for Liverpool came as he headed in from a corner from the left to score a late winner against Everton in the FA Cup third round. Eight years after the captain’s spectacular debut at Anfield, Van Dijk provided another historic moment in the Merseyside derby by heading in Liverpool’s winner at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
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Liverpool have conceded seven goals in stoppage time in the Premier League this season, losing matches at Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Wolves and against Manchester City. But it was a reminder of Liverpool’s run earlier in the season, when they won games late on against Bournemouth and Newcastle. Liverpool are often involved in late drama, but Arne Slot might think it was time for it to work in his team’s favour.
This could be crucial in the race to finish in the top five, which is what Liverpool’s failed Premier League title defense has boiled down to following recent Champions League and FA Cup exits. Following Chelsea’s home defeat to Manchester United last night, Liverpool took a seven-point advantage over the sixth-placed Blues with five matches remaining. It is surely insurmountable.
Aston Villa claiming a late winner in a 4-3 thriller against Sunderland is another blow to Chelsea’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League. With five games remaining, there is still room for a few twists and turns, but anything other than a win for Liam Rosenior’s side at Brighton on Tuesday could mean the race for the top five is realistically over.
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Mohamed Salah makes history again in the final derby
Part of Mohamed Salah’s legacy at Anfield is his exceptional record against Liverpool’s two biggest rivals: Manchester United and Everton. In his final Merseyside derby, Salah made sure to set another record and write his name into the history of the game one last time before leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.
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Just moments after Iliman Ndiaye thought he had scored the opening goal of the Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Salah was clinical in finishing for the first time thanks to Cody Gakpo’s excellent ball in front of goal. After scoring Liverpool’s last goal at Goodison Park, he scored his first at the new home of Everton.
It also brought Salah tied with Steven Gerrard for the most Premier League goals in the Merseyside derby, with nine. Like this one, many of these finishes had been slipped, coolly, in front of Jordan Pickford, leaving the English number 1 with no chance.
Everton may regret losing the ball in the build-up, with Dwight McNeil giving it away as the hosts looked to build from the back. But Liverpool and Salah were ruthless. This rather adds to the strangeness of Arne Slot’s decision not to start him against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek.
Liverpool goalkeeping crisis after Mamardashvili injury
Liverpool could enter a crucial period of their season with their third-choice goalkeeper after Giorgio Mamardashvili was stretchered off following an injury suffered when Beto slipped in to score Everton’s equalizer. It is unclear whether Beto or the recovering Andy Robertson collided with Mamardashvili, but the Georgia international suffered serious injury. Arne Slot later said he went to the hospital because of a “big wound, an open wound.”
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This meant that Freddie Woodman made only his second appearance for Liverpool and his Premier League debut for the Reds, coming on as a second-half substitute. With Everton searching for a winner, circumstances were difficult for the 29-year-old, and it was a nervous moment as he had to come out of his box to go away after Virgil van Dijk brought the ball back to him.
Woodman may now have to play an important role in Liverpool’s run as they aim to finish in the top five and qualify for the Champions League. Alisson Becker may not return until the end of the month and Liverpool’s number 1 has been out since March due to his own injury problems. Woodman’s only previous appearance for Liverpool came in the 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup earlier this season and he may have to face the Eagles again when they travel to Anfield next weekend.
It would be another big challenge for an inexperienced goalkeeper, but it signaled the Liverpool players to surround Woodman in celebration at the full-time whistle. Slot, however, said Liverpool could get Mamardashvili back sooner than expected. “It won’t be a long-term injury. Let’s see if he’s available next week,” Slot said. “We had our problems almost in every position and now even two goalkeepers have been absent.”
Liverpool players congratulate goalkeeper Freddie Woodman after 2-1 victory (PA)
Isak and Wirtz, anonymous, struggle to make an impact
With Hugo Ekitike out for the rest of the season, and much longer, it was another difficult day for Liverpool’s two other expensive signings, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Neither looked ready for the frenetic nature of an away Merseyside derby, with Isak still in peak physical condition and Wirtz still adapting to the physicality of the Premier League.
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Both were quiet at the start where Everton were in the lead. Isak managed just two touches in the first 40 minutes of the match, before shooting straight at Jordan Pickford shortly before half-time for his only goal. Wirtz managed to find Isak at one point and send him through on goal, but Jarred Branthwaite was quite easily able to pass and muscle the striker off the ball.
Liverpool lost control in the second half and when Everton equalized it followed another period of prolonged pressure. Arne Slot finally responded by removing Isak for Rio Ngumoha in the 72nd minute, then Wirtz for Alexis Mac Allister as part of a double change in the 84th minute. Neither had an impact and the changes could have come much sooner.
Beto makes amends but Everton rue misses chances
With Everton roaring into a feverish atmosphere in the first Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool would have expected their neighbors to get off to a flying start. Yet they seemed unprepared for how Everton would come out of the traps and Arne Slot’s side were very lucky not to fall behind early on.
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Giorgi Mamardashvili first made an important save to deny Beto’s header before Everton twice got behind the Liverpool defense. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was played with an overhand ball and demanded a penalty after replacement right-back Curtis Jones came in from the side and challenged him with his shoulder. Beto was slipped but was closer to the corner flag than the goal with his finish as he opened his body and looked for the far corner.
Iliman Ndiaye’s goal ended up being a hugely deflating moment, as Everton went from thinking they had taken a deserved lead to falling behind just two and a half minutes later. But Beto made amends in the second half by sliding in to score Everton’s equalizer. After their earlier releases, Liverpool were once again caught out by the ball over the top, with Dewsbury-Hall finding space and pushing aside Ibrahima Konate before firing the ball through.
