James Tarkowski’s 98th-minute goal ensured Everton salvaged a thrilling 2-2 draw against Premier League leaders Liverpool in what was Goodison Park’s final Merseyside derby.
Liverpool’s last visit to their historic rival’s ground started with an electric atmosphere, and the home crowd erupted after just 11 minutes.
A quickly taken free-kick by Jarrad Branthwaite sent Beto through on goal, and the striker coolly curled his effort past Alisson to give Everton the lead.
However, Liverpool responded swiftly. Just five minutes later, Mohamed Salah delivered a pinpoint cross, which Alexis Mac Allister met with a superb header, finishing impressively despite facing away from goal.
The game then settled into a tense battle, with Everton suffering a setback before halftime as Iliman Ndiaye limped off in distress.
The second half saw both sides create chances. Abdoulaye Doucouré squandered a golden opportunity with a misdirected header, while Branthwaite thought he had restored Everton’s lead—only for the offside flag to intervene.
Liverpool eventually capitalized on Everton’s wastefulness when Salah pounced on a rebound after Jordan Pickford had denied Curtis Jones, securing his 23rd Premier League goal involvement in away matches this season—a new record.
Just when it seemed Liverpool would take all three points, Everton found a dramatic equalizer deep into stoppage time.
Vitaliy Mykolenko’s cross was flicked on by Tim Iroegbunam, setting up Tarkowski to smash home, sending Goodison into pandemonium. A lengthy VAR review confirmed the goal, extending Everton’s unbeaten league run to four matches.
After the final whistle, tensions boiled over, resulting in red cards for Doucouré and Jones. Despite failing to win at Goodison Park for the 10th time in their last 13 visits, Liverpool still moved seven points clear at the top of the table.
