Instead, the fixture ended with a familiar shrug of resignation. If Everton can not end their torturous eight year wait for victory against this compromised, blunted Liverpool - a team selected to survive the ordeal as much as thrive - then when? There was polite applause from the Gwladys Street in recognition of the urgency in those final moments, but the discontent can be consuming.
Allardyce may not get credit for much but he never shirks the interrogation. He recognised this as a missed opportunity, not just to end a barren run but assist his increasingly arduous challenge of winning hearts and minds at Goodison Park. It may still have been too late if Tosun’s late header had been directed inside the far post, or Calvert-Lewin been more composed when gifted an easy chance to win it on 88 minutes, but at least he would have a nugget to polish.
Ultimately, the yearning for the win consumed the quality needed to secure it.
“We tried to take full advantage of that opportunity and failed,” said Allardyce.
“In the end we finished the game extremely well, on the front foot and put them under a lot of pressure, created the opportunities to win the game. Because of the way we finished the game, we are sitting in the dressing room disappointed. It has been such a long time since Everton beat Liverpool.”
Everton’s first and last ten minutes were okay. It was the dissatisfying 70 in between that was the problem.
“Our passing sometimes got a bit woeful. That is why we made the changes,” said Allardyce, referencing the 57thminute removal of Rooney.
“He can say whatever he wants to me in the office but it has to be done between the four walls of the office between me and him,”said the Everton manager.
“He's an Evertonian through and through and he's been brought off in a derby game. I'd expect a reaction because that's how much he cares. That's fine by me. I wouldn’t expect him to smile and say 'Alright gaffer, well done'.Nobody is too big to be hooked. I made those decisions for the benefit of the team and they benefited the team today.
“The three substitutions, no matter how disappointed anyone is when they are substituted, made a big impact."
So did Klopp’s. The momentum shifted when the game’s outstanding midfielder, James Milner, was replaced on 68 minutes. Sadio Mane was subject to the protection policy, too, shortly after. With that, Liverpool invited pressure.
LIVERPOOL, KOMPAS.com - Pertandingan antara Everton melawan Liverpool berakhir sama kuat 0-0 dalam lanjutan pekan ke-33 Premier League, kasta teratas Liga Inggris, di Stadion Goodison Park, Sabtu (7/4/2018)
Sesuai prediksi, laga bertajuk derbi Merseyside ini berlangsung sengit dan keras. Kontak fisik antarpemain sangat sering terjadi dalam pertandingan ini.
Pada babak pertama, Liverpool menguasai pertandingan dengan penguasaan bola sebesar 63 persen.
Namun, tampil tanpa pemain andalannya, Mohamed Salah, skuad asuhan Jergen Klopp ini terlihat sulit untuk menembus pertahanan Everton yang dipimpin Phil Jagielka.
Tidak hanya itu, Jordan Pickford di bawah mistar Everton juga tampil apik sepanjang 45 menit babak pertama.
Babak pertama berakhir imbang 0-0.
Di babak kedua, Juergen Klopp memasukkan Roberto Firmino dan Alex Oxlade Chamberlain untuk menambah daya gedor Liverpool.
Sementara itu, Everton di luar dugaan menarik dua pemain penting mereka, yaitu Wayne Rooney dan Yannick Bolasie sejak menit ke-60.
Meskipun begitu, justru serangan Everton lebih berbahaya di babak kedua. Lewat kedua sayap yang diisi Dominic Calvert dan Theo Walcott, Everton sering mengancam pertahanan Liverpool.
Bahkan, di lima menit terakhir, Everton berhasil mengurung pertahanan Liverpool.
Hingga akhir pertandingan, tidak ada gol yang tercipta dalam derbi Merseyside ketiga di musim ini. Dengan hasil ini Liverpool masih duduk di posisi ketiga klasemen Premier League dengan koleksi 67 poin.
0 - This was only the second Merseyside derby in Premier League history without a single card shown and the first since their maiden PL clash at Goodison Park in December 1992. Tame.
The Merseyside derby kicks off a busy day of Premier League action that could end with Manchester City lifting the title, but first all eyes will be on Goodison Park as Everton host Liverpool with the Reds coming off their incredible Champions League victory in midweek.
But that breath-taking 3-0 win over City has resulted in Jürgen Klopp resting a number of key players including top scorer Mohamed Salah, with one eye on Tuesday’s second leg at the Etihad Stadium. Danny Ings and Dominic Solanke both start for the Reds, while Nathaniel Clyne makes his first appearance of the season.
Everton meanwhile are at full strength for the derby, with Cenk Tosun leading the attack and Wayne Rooney, Yannick Bolasie and Theo Walcott also starting, but local boy Dominic Calvert-Lewis is named on the bench,
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Teams
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Jagielka, Baines, Schneiderlin, Davies, Rooney, Bolasie, Walcott, Tosun
Subs: Robles, Martina, Gueye, Niasse, Funes Mori, Calvert-Lewin, Baningime.
Liverpool: Karius, Clyne, Van Dijk, Lovren, Klavan, Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Mane, Ings, Solanke
Subs: Mignolet, Firmino, Moreni, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Masterson, Alexander-Arnold, Jones.
What time does it start?
Everton vs Liverpool kicks off at 12:30 BST on Saturday 7 April.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 11:30 BST.
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