One of the feistiest fixtures in English football, the Merseyside derby has provided countless entertaining battles over the years. Ahead of Wednesdays latest edition, we’ve taken a look at some of the very best.
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Everton 0-5 Liverpool (1982/83) – Four for Rush
There’s nothing worse in football than derby day defeat. Well, perhaps an absolute drubbing on home soil in the derby. Goodison Park, a typically deafening atmosphere, was silenced by the champions in 1982 when Ian Rush put four past Neville Southall.
Rush’s early opener set the tone, with the writing on the wall when Glenn Keeley was sent off for the Blues before half-time. It was a disaster-class in offside-trap defending, as Rush capitalised on acres of space to score a hat-trick in the second 45. A humbling day for those in blue.
Liverpool 1-0 Everton (2018/19) – Klopp’s Pitch Invasion
For 95 minutes of this exhilarating Merseyside derby, Liverpool flooded forward in relentless attack, but Jordan Pickford was equal to everything. A one-man wall, Pickford was on the brink of almost single-handedly claiming his side a point at Anfield, but a momentary collapse left him the villain.
When Virgil Van Dijk’s miscued volley looped into the air, it looked as if Everton would hold on. But the ball was coming down with snow on it and Pickford looked far from comfortable. He flapped unsuccessfully at it as the ball ricocheted off the crossbar and into the path of an onrushing Divock Origi. The Anfield faithful went mad, as did Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp. The German sprinted to the centre circle to embrace his goalkeeper Alisson, a moment that has divided opinion since.
Everton 2-2 Liverpool (2012/13) – Suarez’s Iconic Dive
Luis Suarez – an interesting character to say the least – was at it again at Goodison Park. Everton boss David Moyes had made a pre-match dig at the ease in which Suarez hits the deck, and after forcing an own-goal for the opener, the Uruguayan’s eyes lit up. He ran half the length of the pitch and performed a quite sublime dive in front of Moyes and the Everton bench.
He then doubled Liverpool’s lead six minutes later to rub salt into the wound. Although the Blues fought back to earn a point, Suarez’s antics will live long in the memory of this historic fixture.
Everton 2-3 Liverpool (2000/01) – McAllister’s Last Gasp Free-Kick
A game that had it all – five goals, penalties, cards, and a last minute screamer. Twice Liverpool led at Goodison through Emile Heskey and Markus Babbel, but twice the Blues fought back. Among the chaos was a Robbie Fowler missed penalty, 10 yellow cards and the sending off of Igor Biscan.
After going down to 10, you would be forgiven for thinking the Reds would settle for a point. But settle they did not. Liverpool earned a last-minute free-kick which had to be all of 45 yards out. The travelling fans must have been urging Gary McAllister to put the ball in the box. He went one better, firing a rocket through the disjointed Everton wall to seal all three points in the derby.
Liverpool 3-2 Everton (1988/89) – FA Cup Final Ecstasy
Just five weeks on from the Hillsborough disaster that claimed 97 lives, the 1989 FA Cup final began with a spine-tingling chorus of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. The Liverpool players were clearly as fired up as the fans, racing into a 1-0 lead after four minutes courtesy of John Aldridge. This lead almost lasted the duration, until substitute Stuart McCall equalised late on to force extra-time.
Again, Liverpool took the lead, this time through Ian Rush. But McCall was in no mood to roll over and the Scot drove home a delightful volley from the edge of the box in the 102nd minute. Enter Rush – the Liverpool legend glanced a header past a stranded Neville Southall to break Everton hearts secure the trophy. Liverpool lifted the FA Cup, a fitting tribute to those lives lost a few weeks prior.
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