Happy times onMerseyside as Liverpool, Everton lead theway
It’s like the clock has been wound back 35 years with Liverpool and Everton as the English league frontrunners.
Seeing Liverpool at the top of the Premier League is a more familiar sight. A 7-0 rout of Crystal Palace yesterday was the type of ruthless attacking display that helped Jurgen Klopp end the team’s 30-year title drought last season.
Everton haven’t won the league since 1985 and 1987 when they sandwiched a runner-up season to their neighbours. A 2-1 victory over Arsenal was Everton’s third success in eight days, taking Carlo Ancelotti’s side up to second, five points behind the champions.
Everton can be overtaken by either Tottenham or Leicester, who meet today. Staying in the top four would be significant not only as a sporting achievement but also financially for Everton, given the club reported losses of £140 million in the last financial year – in part due to the pandemic. ‘‘We are not in this moment playing fantastic attacking football,’’ Ancelotti said. ‘‘But the spirit of the team is really strong.’’
Liverpool and Everton are among only four of the 20 Premier League clubs allowed fans – albeit only 2000 – due to coronavirus restrictions. Southampton were also allowed a crowd yesterday but still lost to Manchester City 1-0.
Surprisingly, though, it is Southampton in fifth place – a place and a point ahead of Pep Guardiola’s expensively assembled City side that won the 2018 and 2019 titles.
An emphatic victory at Palace was a stylish way to end a fivegame winless run for Liverpool, who could even start with Mohamed Salah on the bench.
The league’s top scorer still managed two goals after coming on in the second half, and set up one of Roberto Firmino’s double.
Salah was one of seven different players to provide the assists – starting with Sadio Mane for Takumi Minamino inside two minutes, allowing the Japan forward to net his first Premier League goal a year after his transfer was announced.
Arsenal are in an even worse state than they were when Mikel Arteta took charge last December. The London club is five places worse off in 15th.
It’s seven games without a win in the league for Arteta, who played for Everton as well as Arsenal.
Yerry Mina’s header on the stroke of halftime was Everton’s only shot on target but it was enough to seal the victory.
In other match yesterday, Newcastle and Fulham drew 1-1.