Reds take bragging rights in dominant Merseyside derby

Everton had not won at Anfield since the last Millennium. Their sad run continues and the pressure on Roberto Martínez cooks.

For Everton, this was a crushing night. The result was secured in the minutes before half time and in the moments after, revealing, perhaps, a lot about the concentration, the fitness levels and the wider mentality of a bewildered team that might have to play Saturday’s FA Cup semi final against Manchester United deprived of all their senior central defenders and Gareth Barry, who was substituted having suffered a groin strain.

With Everton two down at the break, a vicious stamp by Ramiro Funes Mori on Divock Origi was punished by a straight red card. The lack of fight in Everton before was as obvious as his recklessness. From 50 yards away in his technical area Jürgen Klopp spotted it and television replays revealed the German grimacing at the point of impact, which led the striker to being carried off on a stretcher. Klopp described Origi’s fate as a “big shadow” on an otherwise excellent performance.

Mori, meanwhile, exited the pitch to the sound of Evertonian applause after he reacted to the punishment by beating the badge on his chest repeatedly, a sign he considered his action as a sort of warped honour. Seemingly, it slipped his mind that he will now miss the most important game of Everton’s season.

Mori, indeed, appeared quite satisfied with himself and although Martínez insisted his intentions were not deliberately harmful, he admitted the Argentine had got “carried away with the emotion of the occasion.”

Martínez’s assessment of a “horrible, horrible experience” certainly could not be denied. The words “embarrassment” and “disastrous” were also used in his post-match analysis.

When it became 3-0, John Stones gestured that he was unable to continue because of stomach cramps and it meant that for the last 30 minutes, Everton had to play with James McCarthy and Muhamed Besic, two central midfielders, trying to play as defenders. In the centre of midfield, two wingers took their place.

Everton were all over the shop. Though Liverpool’s advantage was increased, it was fortunate for Martínez that the hosts did not pursue the margin of victory which ends managerial reigns. From this low it will be a miracle if Everton finish their season with a second Wembley date.

The detail of the match was quite simply, a barrage of attacks from Liverpool that involved 41 shots. At the beginning, Everton’s defence pressed high but after chances were missed by Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino in front of the Kop from simple long balls, they retreated until the point of inevitability: where Liverpool finally made their control statistically relevant by seizing a merited lead.

For all of Liverpool’s intricate interplay between Lallana, Firmino and Philippe Coutinho, it was the most basic of tactics that Everton could not deal with and on both occasions James Milner was the architect; his accuracy and power from crosses ensuring the presence of nearby Everton markers on Origi and then Mamadou Sakho were made irrelevant.

That it was Origi’s fifth goal in as many games and Sakho’s second in two indicated Liverpool’s form and confidence. Romelu Lukaku had tried to inspire Everton by examining Dejan Lovren’s strength before Liverpool’s domination became absolute. Yet his case was hopeless considering the limited support coming from behind.

Liverpool’s third arrived when Lucas intercepted a loose Stones pass through the midfield and Daniel Sturridge, on for Origi, was well positioned to finish off the move. Thanks to Coutinho, Liverpool soon led by four.

For Everton, their suffering culminated when the assistant referee signalled seven minutes of injury time. By then, many of their supporters had already left.

Liverpool’s victory was a cruise. Maybe never before had a Merseyside derby been decided so easily.

Source: Independent

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