Report: Toothless Reds held by stubborn Toffees

Liverpool will have to wait a bit longer to edge closer to lifting the Premier League title after they produced an uninspiring performance in their 0-0 stalemate in the Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park on Sunday evening.

Read: Everton vs Liverpool – team news, match facts and probable lineups

Jurgen Klopp’s troops took the short trip to Goodison Park as they went in search of the first of two wins in order to secure the Premier League title in 30 years, and simultaneously complete a treble of wins and bragging rights for a third time this season.

The Reds were without Xherdan Shaqiri, while talisman Mohamed Salah started from the bench, with Andrew Robertson completely ruled out.

Everton on the other hand started without influential players like Fabian Delph, Yerry Mina, Theo Walcott and Jean-Philippe Gbamin.

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Naby Keita in action against Everton. (Image: ThisIsAnfield)

First half

Everton started the match brightly, and were inches away from taking the lead, when Joel Matip’s header back to Trent Alexander-Arnold was intercepted by Richarlison who charged down the left before whipping a low cross through the six-yard box that went inches past Alisson, but was also a bit too fast for Dominic Calvert-Lewin who arrived seconds late at the far post.

It wasn’t until the 33rd minute when Liverpool had a bit of a sniff at goal when Alexander-Arnold whipped in a beautiful cross but Matip, who did well to pull away from Richarlison, steered it past the left post.

The home side then found themselves in a similar situation. Gordon with an excellent set-up from a free-kick, and despite Richarlison making contact with it by heading it just over the bar, he was ruled offside.

In the 37th minute, the Reds came inches close to opening the score when Virgil Van Dijk produced a marvellous pass from 70-yards towards Sadio Mane into the Everton box, but the Senegalese striker got there late as Jordan Pickford rushed off his line to collect.

With two minutes left before the interval, it was almost 1-0 to the good for the visitors who had been awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box. Alexander-Arnold stood behind it and unleashed a good effort but Pickford produced a superb save by diving low to his right.

Chances were few and far between the two sides, who headed down the tunnel with the scores still locked at 0-0.

Second half

Five minutes to the start of the second period almost witnessed a contender for goal of the season when Keita teed up Firmino, with the Brazilian attempting an audacious volley off his chest but hammered his effort wide of the left post.

The Toffees amped up their tempo after winning the ball in the middle of the park. Richarlison stormed down the left before putting in a beautiful low cross for Calvert-Lewin who back-heeled it into Alisson’s path with the Brazilian diving low to parry it as far as Davies whose effort shaved the bottom side of the post before Van Dijk kicked it out for a corner kick.

The resulting corner kick saw Calvert-Lewin rose higher than the Liverpool defenders but failed to connect with the ball on target as it sailed wide.

With 10 minutes to go, Liverpool were awarded a free-kick just outside the Everton box after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was clipped to the ground by Richarlison. Fabinho stood over it but saw his take sail just over Pickford’s goal.

That was the last effort at goal for either side as Mike Dean blew the final whistle with the sides sharing the spoils.

Starting XI:

Everton: Pickford, Keane, Holgate, Colema (c), Digne, Davies, Andre Gomes, Gordon, Iwobi, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Virginia, Stekelenburg, Baines, Sigurdsson, Bernard, Kean, Martina, Branthwaite, Baningime.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Milner, Fabinho, Henderson, Keita, Minamino, Mane, Firmino.

Subs: Adrian, Wijnaldum, Lovren, Salah, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Origi, Elliot, Williams.