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Despite Liverpool fighting for the league title, a contest at Goodison Park, under the lights, against an Everton side battling to stay in the division… Jurgen Klopp’s side would have known that the game would be a scrappy, aggressive clash in a raucous atmosphere.

Did they put up enough of a fight?

Against Everton, that win rate dropped to just 44 per cent — their fifth-worst return in a Premier League game this season.



Across the game, Everton went long with 30 per cent of their passes — their second-highest rate in the Premier League this season behind…their last game against Liverpool in October (32 per cent).

It might sound agricultural in the modern game, but momentum built with every aerial win that Everton registered.

A 1-0 Everton could retreat from their own box and get a shot away without any Liverpool player sticking a foot in.

From Konate being dragged out of position by Calvert-Lewin, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mac Allister allowed Abdoulaye Doucoure to waltz into the final third with little trouble.

So, is Van Dijk blameless in all this?

Despite him being Liverpool’s captain and best defender, there were a few things to pick out with his performance.

Van Dijk largely dealt well with Calvert-Lewin when the Everton striker ventured over to his side, but his passive defensive approach — which is so often a strength as Liverpool’s calming presence — often worked against him as Calvert-Lewin grew in confidence.

There were multiple occasions when Van Dijk elected to step off Calvert-Lewin in an aerial challenge, allowing him to bring the ball down as Everton moved up the pitch.

As you can see from the second slide below, Tarkowski was actually facing away from Van Dijk as Calvert-Lewin leapt up.

Poor timing from Van Dijk and weak defending from Alexander-Arnold places the fault more at Liverpool’s door.

In many ways, Van Dijk’s assessment of his team-mates was accurate, with few players ending the game with any credibility — but Liverpool’s captain is not immune from criticism himself.

Individual mistakes, a lack of urgency, and a lack of quality all over the pitch were thrown into the melting pot to leave Liverpool’s title chances all but over.

(Header photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)


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