The 248th edition of the Merseyside Derby was certainly a memorable one. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk headed home a corner kick from Domonik Szoboszlai in the 10th minute of stoppage time to give the Reds a dramatic 2-1 win over Everton in the first Merseyside Derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium. While there are many takeaways from the momentous victory, here are the Top 3.
The Latest And The Greatest
Stoappage time winners are normally rare and unexpected, but not for Liverpool. Van Dijk’s winner gave Liverpool their 6th stoppage-time winner over Everton, though they have never left it so late. The goal in the 100th minute is the latest winner in the history of the Derby, passing Divock Origi’s 96th minute strike in 2018. Everton’sJames Tarkowski scored a memorable equaliser in 98th minute just last season at Goodison Park.
“Today it was massive in the situation we are in, in the hunt for the Champions League spots,” Van Dijk said. “Obviously, that’s definitely not Liverpool-worthy, in my opinion, but it is the reality, and it was important that we got the win here today. And I’m glad we did.”
A Look At The Table
Since Van Dijk brought up the standings, let's look at the table. According to analytics released just after the match, Liverpool now have a better than 90 per cent chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season. That’s because the Reds now sit seven points clear of Chelsea with 55 points. That’s because the Blues have lost their last four EPL games. Liverpool now have Aston Villa and Manchester City in their sight and could rise as high as third with a strong performance in the last 5 games.
One More For Mo
Salah scored in his final Merseyside Derby, bringing his career tally vs. the Toffees to 9. That ties him for the most in club history with Steven Gerrard.
“It feels great, to be fair, Salah said. “The most important thing was to help the team to just settle down and keep more confidence, because we knew before the game it was going to be tricky, it was going to be a difficult game. I’m glad in the end we managed to win the game. I wish I just keep scoring and help the team at least to achieve Champions League [qualification] this season. And hopefully I [say] farewell in the right way.”
LFC Globe Verdict
Sometimes, sportswriters feel inadequate to properly describe what they just saw unfold on the pitch. Today is one of those times. I could write pages and pages of content and not do this match justice. So I will just say I was glad I got to see it, and even from an ocean away, you could feel the magic and that this was a special moment in club history.
Have Your Say?
Where does this match rank on the list of all-time great Merseyside Derbies? Does winning a double over Everton salvage the season for you? Sound off below.