Liverpool’s composure went missing at Goodison Park, and so did Arne Slot’s usual calm demeanor. A fiery Merseyside derby saw the Reds drop two crucial points, and while emotions boiled over after the final whistle, their real problems started much earlier.
With a seven-point cushion over Arsenal, Liverpool fans might find comfort in the table, but their performance against Everton raised major concerns.
This wasn’t the free-flowing, dominant team that had stormed through the league. Instead, they played into Everton’s hands hoofing long balls (64 of them, their joint-highest this season) against a defensive wall of Tarkowski, Branthwaite, and O’Brien.
Liverpool managed just six shots on target their lowest tally of the season. Compare that to Everton’s 10, and the worry deepens.
Alexis Mac Allister and Mo Salah provided glimpses of class, but for the most part, the Reds were rattled. Goodison is never an easy place to go, but this was a match they should have controlled.
Then came the chaos. The referee, Michael Oliver, made decisions that frustrated both sides, but it was Abdoulaye Doucouré’s late provocation that truly lit the fuse.
Curtis Jones saw red in the aftermath, and even Slot himself lost it, earning a red card for his troubles. Virgil van Dijk later admitted Liverpool let Everton dictate the fight. “We could have played better, but this is their game of the season,” he said.
The big question now: can Liverpool regain their composure? With Wolves, Villa, City, and Newcastle coming up in an 11-day stretch, they have no time to dwell on this.
The title race is still in their hands, but only if they rediscover the patience, control, and class that got them here. Time to buckle up things are about to get even wilder.
