Everton snuff out local rivals’ hopes; Klopp sees fairytale slip away
Jurgen Klopp’s hopes of a dream send-off were left in tatters after a 2-0 loss at Everton dealt a major blow to Liverpool’s Premier League title bid yesterday.
Goals from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-lewin at Goodison Park meant Klopp tasted a bitter defeat in his last Merseyside derby before standing down at the end of the season.
The loss keeps Liverpool three points behind league leaders Arsenal in second place and one ahead of defending champions Manchester City, who are in third and have two games in hand on both of their rivals.
Klopp had spoken last week of needing perfection to win his second title at the club. But this was the latest setback for his team, who have lost two of their last three games in the league.
While the result hurt Liverpool’s title chances, it delivered a boost to Everton’s survival bid, with the win moving Sean Dyche’s team eight points above the relegation zone.
That fact seemed to be of less concern to the home fans, who were too busy revelling in the damage caused to Liverpool’s season.
“You lost the league at Goodison Park,” they chanted as the final whistle approached and the majority of the 39,000 crowd remained inside the stadium to drink in the atmosphere as the players celebrated on the field.
Klopp had dominated this fixture since taking over at Anfield in 2015, winning nine of the past 16 derbies before yesterday’s match.
Statistics showed Everton won 75 per cent of all duels in the opening half hour, a league record for any top flight team this season.
After just six minutes, Liverpool were grateful for VAR as they escaped an early penalty when Alisson brought down Calvert-lewin in the box and referee Andrew Madley pointed to the spot. The decision was overturned because of an offside in the build up.
That pressure was made to count when Everton took the lead in the 27th. Liverpool’s defenders repeatedly failed to clear the danger from a free kick and Branthwaite’s shot squirmed through the hands of Alisson and off the post before crossing the line.
Again there was an agonising wait for a VAR check, but on this occasion there was no reprieve for Liverpool.
Liverpool came out with more intent for the second half without forcing Pickford into serious action before conceding a second goal.
Again the visitors failed to deal with a set piece when Dwight Mcneil swung a deep corner to the far post and Calvert-lewin rose unmarked to head home.
Liverpool came close to pulling one back in the 69th, but Luis Diaz’s effort came back off the post.
United scare
Manchester United survived another scare — twice coming from behind to beat last-place Sheffield United 4-2.
Having been taken to the wire by second-tier Coventry in the FA Cup semifinals on Monday, Erik ten Hag’s team looked in danger of dropping points in their bid qualify for Europe.
Sheffield United led 1-0 and then 2-1 through goals from Jayden Bogle and Ben Brereton in each half at Old Trafford.
But Harry Maguire and Bruno
Fernandes, from the penalty spot, levelled on each occasion.
Fernandes put United ahead in the 81st and and Rasmus Hojlund sealed the points four minutes later.
United are up to sixth in the standings, 13 points behind fourthplace Aston Villa.
Palace safe
Crystal Palace ensured top flight safety after Jean-philippe Mateta struck twice in a 2-0 win against Newcastle.
Palace are on 39 points — 14 clear of 18th-place Luton, who can only pick up a maximum of 37 if they win their last four games of the season.
It was Palace’s third-straight win to erase fears of being relegated. Defeat saw Newcastle drop to seventh.
Bournemouth beat Wolves 1-0 at Molineux through Antoine Semenyo’s first-half strike.
—AP