Klopp decisions leave fans fuming: Winners & losers from Everton 0-0 Liverpool

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Liverpool failed to return to the top of the Premier League table after they were held to a goalless draw in the 233rd Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park

Jurgen Klopp’s men were unable to bring their recent goalscoring form, which saw them blow Watford away earlier in the week, as The Toffees stood resolute to earn a hardfought point.

The result is a boast to title rivals Manchester City who now lead the championship by a single point with nine matches remaining. As for Everton they end a run of nine consecutive defeats against their fierce neighbours ensuring breathing room for Marco Silva in the process.

As expected there are winners and losers.

Winner: Lucas Digne

On the face of it Digne has been a successful acquisition for Everton.

The 25-year-old Frenchman joined from Barcelona, where he was deemed surplus to requirements, last summer and has since established himself as the club’s first choice ahead of stalwart Leighton Baines.

He’s popped up with some important goals as well as being a constant attacking threat. However, there have been the odd lapses in concentration, as well as receiving a number of booking and one sending off.

Today he seldom journeyed forward, in knowledge of Liverpool’s threat on the flanks, instead Digne’s defensive attributes came to the fore. No moment illustrated it more than when he made a last ditch tackle to deny Fabinho in the final 20 minutes.

But not everyone was impressed. Graeme Souness felt he was too cavalier and not focused enough particularly concerning a chance that fell to Mohamed Salah in the first half.

“This is bad from Everton’s point of view,” he said on Sky Sports.

“Watch Digne at the bottom of the picture. He’s gone too early before they’ve got great possession, Everton. He’s gone and left Salah to have a straight run onto goal.

“He gets it onto his left foot here, does everything he wants to do but give the goalkeeper great credit for saving that. Watch Digne, he’s gone, and until you’ve got full possession and the player is not under pressure, you can’t leave Salah that free. You’re risking everything.”

Everyone’s a critic.

Loser: Pickford’s route-one passing

Gary Neville, on co-commentary duty for Sky Sports, put forward the notion of The Toffees having a mental block when facing their more illustrious neighbours. There’s no question who has bossed this fixture in recent years. Liverpool winning nine on the bounce heading into this weekend. As the game went on, the more it became clear this wasn’t down to psychology, the gulf in class was sizeable even if Klopp’s men weren’t at their scincilating best.

Silva, who has endure incredible flack of late, must shoulder the blame. His tactics simply played into Liverpool’s hands. Everton huffed and puffed but lacked that cutting edge and were guilty of relying on route one football. Jordan Pickford’s continual pumping of the ball towards The Reds backline was baffling as it was easy work for Virgil van Dijk and company.

Winner: Goodison Park

Everton, according to reports, will soon bid their spiritual home of 127 years goodbye. It’s a reaction to modern football and commercial interests. Holding a capacity less than 40,000 means they are falling behind the Premier League’s big boys including local nemesis Liverpool.

However, moving to a swanky new ground means something intimate will be lost, the atmosphere generated at Goodison has always been palpable even during the hard times. This afternoon was no expeception; from start to finish the place was bouncing as they cheered their players on – in their battle with a far better side – further highlighting what impact the “twelfth man” can have. At least they held up their end of the bargain.

Loser: Mohamed Salah

Today just wasn’t Mohamed Salah’s day. We’ve been saying that a lot of late. The league’s best footballer is currently a shadow of his former self. He kept getting in the right areas but his killer instinct was lacking much of Everton’s joy.

It’s now one goal in six games; that was practically unheard of last season, if Liverpool are to end a 29-year wait to be English champions once again then he needs to rediscover his scoring boots.

Winner: Virgil van Dijk

Is there a better central defender in European football today? You can make a case for some but among that conversation has to be Van Dijk who needs to be dubbed as the ‘Colossus of Breda’ following yet another performance of authority.

No one in a blue jersey could touch him in the air. Van Dijk’s aerial supremacy is well known but this was something else. On no fewer than eight occasions he was tested off the ground and the Dutchman won all but one.

Loser: Jurgen Klopp

Sir Alex Ferguson called it squeaky bum time: the final moments of a close season. Liverpool remain calm but they must be concerned about their recent away form. They’ve now dropped six points across their last three matches on the road. Michail Antonio rescued a point for West Ham before the Reds played out a goalless draw at Old Trafford.

This latest setback, which leaves Liverpool’s fate no longer in their own hands, only intensifies the scrutiny and pressure on Jurgen Klopp, who has now seen his team fail to score in three of their last four games, their fate is no longer in their own hands. But a more immediate concern is the accusation of predictability coming from the club’s own support. A number of fans took to social media to bemoan Klopp’s decisions when it came to personnel.

Winner: Manchester City

Everton and (especially) Manchester United aren’t traditional buddies with Manchester City but Pep Guardiola might want to give both clubs a hug. Both teams in the space of a week have taken four points of Liverpool (across their last nine games Klopp’s men have dropped 11 points) meaning it’s City, with nine matches remaining, who lead the championship. With the gap between City and Liverpool being just one point it’s fair to say we are all in for a treat heading into the final stretch.

Game on.

The post Klopp decisions leave fans fuming: Winners & losers from Everton 0-0 Liverpool appeared first on Squawka News.



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