Merseyside stalemate lets Spurs into fight for second spot

● Everton and Liverpool served up a goalless, and surprisingly bloodless, affair in the 231st Merseyside derby yesterday with Juergen Klopp’s Reds missing their chance to jump into second place in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur then won 2-1 with a double from the in-form Christian Eriksen at Stoke City to join third-placed Liverpool on 67 points and take closer order in the threeway battle for the runners-up spot.

With all eyes on the late game as champions-elect Manchester City aimed to lift the title by beating neighbours and nearest challengers Manchester United at the Etihad, the lunch-time derby 35 miles away at Goodison did not prove much of an appetiser.

The draw, which did not feature a single booking — a remarkable occurrence amid one of England’s fiercest derbies — maintained Liverpool’s third position on 67 points after 33 games.

They had to soak up a late spell of Everton pressure to stretch their record unbeaten run in Merseyside derbies to 17 games.

Yet without the league’s top scorer Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in a very different starting XI to the one that outplayed Manchester City 3-0 in midweek, Liverpool looked to have Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal second leg weighing on their minds.

Klopp, though, reckoned that he was satisfied with a performance that saw Liverpool largely control proceedings.

“For 75 minutes, we were completely in charge. I am absolutely OK, it’s not the best day in my life, but let’s carry on,” he told the BBC.

“Now we have to focus immediately and be ready again on Tuesday (for the second leg of the Champions League showdown with City).

“Let’s fight for the next round.”

The draw, though, allowed Spurs to move alongside them after a sixth straight league win as they outclassed Stoke City, whose relegation fears in 19th place were only heightened, despite a fighting performance praised by their manager, Paul Lambert.

Harry Kane made his return for Spurs after nearly a month out with injury but it was Eriksen who orchestrated the victory with two goals in 11 second-half minutes, taking his goal tally to five in three games in all competitions.

Kane claimed the final touch — and a 25th league goal of the season — from the Dane’s 63rd minute free kick but replays appeared to show that the ball had gone straight into the goal.

Kane, who appears to be in a straight fight with Salah for the Golden Boot awarded to the top Premier League scorer at the end of the season, claimed after the match that the ball had brushed his shoulder on the way in and should have been credited to his tally.

Eriksen’s two goals sandwiched a Mame Diouf equaliser for Stoke City when goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’s attempted clearance struck the onrushing striker, who then put the ball into an empty net.

The victory, however, meant Spurs now have an advantage over Klopp’s side, as they also have a game in hand.

At the other end of the table, bottom club West Bromwich Albion’s plight only worsened as Swansea City came from behind to draw 1-1 and keep the seemingly-doomed Baggies 10 points from safety with just five games left.

Albion went ahead with Jay Rodriguez’s second-half goal, offering Darren Moore the prospect of victory in his first match as caretaker manager following Alan Pardew’s midweek departure.

However, Tammy Abraham equalised for the Swans with a 75th minute header.

Burnley maintained their unlikely push for European football, coming from behind with two goals from Sam Vokes and Jack Cork in three second-half minutes to win 2-1 at Watford.

It secured their fourth straight league victory, the first time they have achieved the feat in the top flight since 1968, and saw them close to within two points of sixthplaced Arsenal.

Leicester City’s Europa League ambitions, though, were jolted by a 2-1 home defeat to a resurgent Newcastle United, who earned a third consecutive league win with goals from Jonjo Shelvey and Ayoze Perez.

For 75 minutes, we were in charge. I am absolutely OK, it’s not the best day in my life, but let’s carry on