Pickford frustrates Liverpool as Merseyside derby ends goalless

Jordan Pickford stretched to deny Liverpool at Goodison Park on Saturday. It ended goalless. (Photo credit: GOAL)

Liverpool strolled across to Everton with the hope of getting the wind behind their sails as they bounce back from a weak start to their title charge in the six-game-week old premier league season.

The Kops had labored to a last gasp winner against Newcastle in midweek and everything pointed to a potential goal haul considering how defensively poor Everton had been; Jurgen Klopp’s men missed the opportunity to close the gap on champions City and league leaders Arsenal.

Everton will take the point and hope it inspires them to huge resurgence but Jordan Pickford will take all the plaudits for his exploits against their bitter rivals. Frank Lampard handed a debut straight up to Neal Maupay who joined from Brighton and the Dutchman was impressive upfront.

Darwin Nunez replaced Roberto Firminho for Liverpool, huge surprise considering the form of the Brazilian but having served three-match ban, Nunez looked sharp and had to be curtailed by Pickford a number of times.

Liverpool dominated early proceedings but the duo of former Liverpool man Connor Coady and James Tarkowski stood firm against everything that came their way; Amadou Onana and Alex Iwobi were instrumental in the middle of the pack for Everton but again, Pickford shone the brightest.

Mohammed Salah, Nunez, Harvey Elliot and Luis Diaz all tested the Everton Keeper in the first half without success but Everton had the ball in the net in the second half and for about two minutes, the noise at Goodison Park would vibrate across Anfield.

VAR ruled out Coady’s goal that he tapped in by Liverpool’s goal mouth from a Maupay wayward attempt but on four different occasions in the match, the woodwork came to either side’s rescue with two happening in same passage of play for Liverpool’s Diaz and Fabio Carvalho.

Klopp and Lampard rang changes late on to influence the result but it ended goalless; bad result for Liverpool but a great point for Everton to hold on to and take to Arsenal next weekend.