Slot sent off in chaotic finish to 'old-school' derby

Four goals, four red cards and a last-gasp equalizer that will go down in English soccer lore.

It was quite the wild ride in the 120th and final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

Everton captain James Tarkowski smashed a shot into the roof of the net in the eighth minute of stoppage time to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League.

It was virtually the last kick of the game, sparking wild celebrations inside one of English soccer's most venerable and atmospheric stadiums — which will be demolished at the end of this season.

"Amazing to score, and what an amazing night," said Tarkowski, whose rare goal will be remembered as one of the great moments in Goodison Park's long history.

The "Grand Old Lady" — as the stadium is fondly called by the locals — has been Everton's home since 1892.The club is moving to a new 52,888-capacity venue at Bramley-Moore Dock on Liverpool's waterfront.

Tarkowski's strike denied Liverpool a victory that would have lifted the leader nine points clear atop the league. Instead, Liverpool's advantage over Arsenal is seven points after 24 games.

Beto put Everton ahead in the 11th minute — the striker celebrated by imitating LeBron James' "Silencer" move — before Alexis Mac Allister equalized in the 16th by heading home a right-wing cross from Mohamed Salah, who put Liverpool in front in the 73rd with his league-leading 22nd goal of the campaign.

'Let it rip'

Then came Tarkowski's amazing — and, to some, fitting — intervention, with his goal only awarded after a long, agonizing video review for a potential offside in the buildup.

"I just saw the ball going wide and thought, 'last minute, why not?' Tarkowski said. "It managed to fall to me and I let it rip."

The action didn't stop there.

After the final whistle, Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure appeared to taunt Liverpool's fans in celebration, and was confronted by Liverpool substitute Curtis Jones, leading to a melee involving players, officials, stewards and even police officers.

Doucoure and Jones were both shown second yellow cards, while Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, got straight reds. Slot's appeared to be the result of a heated exchange with, and for angrily shaking the hand of, referee Michael Oliver.

"It was a very big provocation from one certain player," Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said, referring to Doucoure.

"We all saw it and reacted as a team, as we were able to do. You know what happens nowadays, it becomes one big tussle."

Everton manager David Moyes accepted "it wasn't the cleanest game of football you've ever watched", adding: "It was a bit of a throwback."

Emotional night

The home fans created a typically feverish atmosphere — blue smoke filled the air around the ground before kickoff and Everton's players were given a rapturous welcome as they arrived — and they witnessed the most amazing of finishes.

"The place was boiling hot all night, emotional," Moyes said. "It was an incredible atmosphere inside the stadium."

Van Dijk acknowledged it was "intense", and had his own opinion on the post-match melee.

"I think Abdoulaye Doucoure wanted to provoke our fans," Van Dijk said. "I think that is what I saw, and Curtis Jones didn't think it was the right thing to do."

As for Slot's thoughts on the game, the occasion and perhaps his own red card, they will have to wait. He wasn't allowed to give post-match interviews after getting sent off, under Premier League rules.

The stats will show the teams met 120 times in all competitions at Goodison Park, starting with the first meeting in 1894, and each won 41 times.

It was a rearranged league game, with the original meeting — scheduled for Dec 7 — postponed because of stormy weather.

Everton fans have grown tired of living in Liverpool's shadow in recent decades. They were reminded of the club's 30-year trophy drought by 30 balloons released by the visiting support.

Moyes returned for his second spell in charge last month, and said restoring the nine-time English champion to its former glory is his goal.

"We want to get back to being a big club again," added the former Manchester United boss.

"We've got a long way to go, we've got a job to do first of all this year to be a Premier League club, and then kick on."

Agencies