Everton vs Liverpool: Reds’ lack of cutting edge puts Premier League title race back in Man City’s hands

Everton 0-0 Liverpool: A fourth draw in seven games for Jurgen Klopp’s side has returned City the advantage

Just in front of the press box at Goodison Park’s main stand, Tony Bellew was praying. The Merseyside derby had yet kicked off and the rest of the stadium’s ancient buttresses were juddering because of the hullaballoo. Bellew, the former boxing champion, is one of the biggest Evertonians around. The start of his day involved an argument on social media with a parody Titi Camara account. The end of his day involved him looking to the sky as he left, an enormous grin etched across his face. Back on Twitter, Andy Burnham, the Everton supporting metro mayor of Manchester, had something to suggest: “That’s got to be worth a few votes…” he wondered.

Not one but two Oasis songs had been broadcasted across the public address system as the players warmed up. At half-time, a third started without being transmitted in full but it was certainly on the playlist. It had been a part of a plan. Noel and Liam Gallagher might have little to say to each other these days but their music outlined a new union between clubs which had much to lose by a Liverpool victory here. “Once is happenstance and twice is coincidence,” Ian Fleming once wrote. “But three times is enemy action.”

Everton were kicking initially towards the Park End. To understand Merseyside football rivalry, you only have to look at the corners of the stand, which had new structures put in place two summers ago so season ticket holders in the Gwladys Street did not have to see Anfield growing from afar.

Inside the opening two minutes, Seamus Coleman welcomed Divock Origi to the game by racing into a challenge that he lost before trying to shove him over. To stop a Liverpool counter-attack, we saw Theo Walcott taking a yellow card with a cynical foul – perhaps the most cynical thing we have ever seen Walcott do. When Jordan Pickford saved in the first half from Mohamed Salah, there were joyous celebrations on the terraces rather than reactions of relief.

And yet, for all of Everton’s determination to stop Liverpool, for all of the cordite in the atmosphere, you could not say Liverpool were really that uncomfortable.

Liverpool created four clear chances to Everton’s one. This was not Old Trafford repeated. Liverpool were wasteful. Salah’s afternoon was poor. Will his misses prove costly at the end of the season? When presented with the clear opportunities that came the Egyptian’s way, you could not imagine Sergio Aguero, Leroy Sane or Raheem Sterling missing them.

With thirteen minutes remaining and with Liverpool now struggling to find the gaps in Everton’s defence, Goodison erupted. A draw for them may have felt like a win considering the implications for Liverpool but it felt like they wanted more. They were urging Everton on. Jurgen Klopp’s substitutions were the obvious ones to make but they did not improve from there.

Liverpool couldn’t find the decisive blow (Getty) (Liverpool FC via Getty)

By now, Liverpool were not playing like a team that makes you think they will win the title but that does not mean they won’t. For Everton, it was entering the period of the game which feels like witching hour – with Liverpool’s record of scoring big goals against them just when it felt like all has been settled. It was this time, however, and Everton’s players were roared off at the final whistle.

Liverpool is a club with a supporter base which looks to the past for clues as to what the immediate future might hold. There had been two Merseyside derbies on March 3, one in 1973 and the other eleven seasons later. The latter feels more significant here because it was a draw greeted with some pessimism because Manchester United were so close, but did not stop them picking up league and European trophies at the end of the season – just as it did in ‘73.

For that to happen all these years later, though, surely they cannot afford too many more draws. This one had been their fourth in seven games. Now, the advantage is with City.