Everton vs Liverpool player ratings: Anthony Gordon makes Toffees debut as Mohamed Salah misses out for visiting Reds
Neither side could find a true moment of quality to break the deadlock
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Your support makes all the difference.A decade on from their last Merseyside derby victory, Everton had the tough task on Sunday of trying to hand Liverpool just their second defeat in the Premier League this season, and the Toffees were trying to do so without the Goodison Park faithful present.
Their confidence will no doubt have been boosted before kick-off with the revelation that Mohamed Salah was to start on the bench for Liverpool, while full-back Andy Robertson was missing from the visitors’ squad entirely.
Meanwhile, Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti handed 19-year-old Anthony Gordon his first senior start, but it was an otherwise familiar line-up for the hosts.
Ultimately, it was a rather muted affair by the usual standards of the fixture, and neither side was able to find a breakthrough as they stumbled to a 0-0 draw.
Here’s a look at how both teams’ players got on:
Jordan Pickford – 7: Cleared several corners well and importantly tipped a Fabinho free-kick over later on.
Seamus Coleman – 6: Sent scrambling by Mane in the first half, but was generally focused throughout at right-back.
Mason Holgate – 6: Will have been pleased with the relative lack of threat from Liverpool’s forward players. Not the most testing evening for the 23-year-old.
Michael Keane – 5: Booked for cynically bringing a promising Mane run to a premature end. Otherwise, the centre-back was not put under too much pressure.
Lucas Digne – 7: Was keen to find Everton’s front men with long passes from left-back, but struggled somewhat to bypass a domineering Liverpool midfield. Unfairly booked.
Anthony Gordon – 6: Debutant looked a little out of his depth against this Liverpool side on what was a big occasion. Showed moments of promise, though.
Andre Gomes – 4: Unable to influence the game at all as Liverpool dominated possession in midfield.
Tom Davies – 6: Should have been booked for a late slide tackle in the first half. Did his best to affect the match and hit the post late on.
Alex Iwobi – 5: Spent most of the first half pinned back by Milner, and failed to get forward much even after the Liverpool man’s departure.
Richarlison – 7: Went close in the opening minutes and then again with a looping header on the half-hour mark. Seemed his side’s best chance of scoring.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 6: Had little to work with and cut a frustrated figure as a result. Did test Alisson creatively in the closing moments, though.
Gylfi Sigurdsson – 6: Replaced Gordon on the hour mark and eventually helped his side to get more of a foothold in midfield.
Alisson – 7: Crucially denied Calvert-Lewin as the second half drew to a close. Saved well from Richarlison shortly after as well.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6: Usual delivery was somewhat lacking in the early stages, but it didn’t take long for the right-back to discover his touch.
Joel Matip – 5: Headed wide following a precise free-kick from Alexander-Arnold in the first half, when he should have hit the target at least.
Virgil van Dijk – 6: Being the competitor that he is, the Dutch international might have actually hoped for more to do. Tidy and untroubled.
James Milner – 6: Kept Iwobi out of the game for much of the first half before going off with a hamstring injury shortly before half-time.
Fabinho – 5: Fortunate to escape a booking after two sloppy challenges on Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison in the opening 10 minutes.
Jordan Henderson – 7: Midfielder understands the occasion as well as anyone does and was a commanding presence in the middle of the pitch.
Naby Keita – 6: Had little influence throughout the first half but grew into the game as it progressed.
Takumi Minamino – 5: Application could not be questioned, but his final product was sub-par and he was replaced at half-time.
Roberto Firmino – 6: Lively throughout. Was set up neatly by a Mane back-heel in the first half, but dragged his shot wide with other options available.
Sadio Mane – 7: Incredibly eager and energetic. Turned Coleman wonderfully at one point to surge towards goal before being scythed down.
Joe Gomez – 7: Replaced Milner and made a surprising number of forward runs, given he was not in his preferred position.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 6: Came on for Minamino at half-time. Worked hard, but most of his team’s attacks came on the other side of the pitch.
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