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da dobrowin： Everton fans greeted the final whistle at Goodison Park against Liverpool on Sunday with a guttural roar.
The two sides played out a 0-0 draw and the result means the Toffees remain tenth in the Premier League but the significance was in denying the Reds, who now sit second, one point behind champions Manchester City.
On the chalkboard
This is a remarkably tight title race and Liverpool could well be top next weekend, such is the unpredictability of the Premier League.
But the ashen-faced club legends, Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish, watching on from the stands, told the story – telling a thousand words. This felt remarkably significant.
City have not been top, having played the same amount of games as Liverpool, since early December, yet they now have the lead with nine games of the season remaining.
Liverpool, playing in a cauldron of noise, simply did not take their chances.
Per WhoScored, Liverpool made 475 passes to Everton’s 342, they had three more shots on goal, and they won more aerial duels. But this was a display that was typified by nervousness.
Mohamed Salah had two shots on goal and tested Jordan Pickford both times but 99% of Liverpool fans would have backed him to score both. As it were, they were relatively tame efforts. Yet again, the Egyptian let his side down on the biggest of occasions.
All in all, as the game appeared primed for a dramatic conclusion, Liverpool faded, ceding the advantage to the Toffees – indeed, it was the Reds who lost the ball the most, who made the most tackles and who completed the most clearances.
Bottled?
Liverpool have still only lost once this season, to City.
But they have drawn seven games to City’s two and it is starting to look all the more costly.
City play some tough games in the run-in – Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United stand out as the biggest banana skins – but they are now ahead, and they know how they cope with the pressure.
When faced with the prospect of a challenger breathing down their neck, City tend to hit the accelerator and roar away.
Whatever happens between now and May, Liverpool are relying on a slip from Pep Guardiola’s men.
History tells us that it’s unlikely and that the Reds may come to rue this derby.