Everton 2-2 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened

So, the final score in Merseyside derbies at Goodison Park reads: Everton 41, Liverpool 41, 38 draws. Thanks for joining me, it’s been emotional. Here’s Andy Hunter on a wild night on Merseyside.

Here’s the Liverpool captain, Virgil van Dijk. “It was always going to be intense. It’s very disappointing to lose it in the last second of the game, or even over extra time – but we take it and move on. The referee had a big part in the game, in terms of what fouls were given. This is [Everton’s] cup final and they’ll do anything they can to try and win.”

On the late red cards: “Doucoure wanted to provoke our fans, and Curtis thought that wasn’t the right thing to do. I think the ref didn’t have the game under control in my opinion, I said that to him. It is what it is, I guess we take the point and move on.”

It’s finished Celtic 1-2 Bayern Munich – no last-gasp heroics from the hosts, but they’re still in the tie.

A minor point: Mohamed Salah was awarded player of the match before Everton’s late equaliser. Perhaps not the most cherished trophy in his collection – maybe he’ll pass it on to Tarkowski.

Here’s David Moyes! “A brilliant finish for us, to end the last Merseyside derby with a last-minute equaliser, it feels fitting. We struggled to get a good finish away … but Tarky did in the end! It was a great goal, one that will be remembered in Goodison history.”

“It wasn’t the cleanest, best game of football you ever watched but it was a bit of a throwback. We had to find a way to make the gap [between the teams] smaller, and I think we did that. We could have gone away feeling we were unlucky, but we got the point.

“The players have responded really well to me, we’re trying to improve what we can. We went a little more direct tonight, but it suited us, suited the stadium tonight. Beto and Doucoure both did a great job against two top centre-halves.

Could there be more late drama at Celtic Park? The hosts have pulled one back, and there are seven added minutes to come.

Here’s how the top of the table looks. If the title race might have felt over if Liverpool had won tonight, they still have a very handy seven-point cushion over Arsenal.

“Speaking as a neutral, and not at all as an Arsenal fan, praise be to the Moyesiah for resurrecting the title race,” writes Kari Tulinius.

“Everton’s bus parade is tomorrow if you’d like to announce it,” writes a salty Bob Coyne.

“Forest fan here,” writes Hasan. “Aside from a vague, unrealistic desire to see Liverpool give up points in the title race, I really have no reason for any emotional involvement in this game. So why am I just the tiniest bit misty eyed at Everton’s last minute heroics then? Football, as a man once summarised, bloody hell.”

The best way I can describe the goal, is that Everton whacked the ball high in the air about 20 times in a row, and it ended up with Mykolenko on the left. His looping cross was nodded on by Iroegbunam to Tarkowski, who absolutely smashed it into the roof of the net. Absolute scenes, and a fitting way to end a retro-coded thriller.

Here’s James Tarkowski, who says he spent an hour practicing volleys at Phil Jagielka’s house and didn’t score one. “I just thought, last minute, why not? Get in the box, it fell to me and I just let it rip. I had a tough weekend so this was a nice moment.”

Both Doucouré and Curtis Jones are shown second yellows for their contretemps – and now Arne Slot, who had come on to the pitch to remonstrate with Michael Oliver, is shown a red card too! Mercy me.

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View image in fullscreen

The final whistle blows, just as an almighty scrap breaks out – Curtis Jones reacting after Abdoulaye Doucouré had celebrated in front of the away fans. Football, what a sport.

They are taking their time with this – it looks onside to me – and after the green line pops up, a potential foul by Beto on Konaté is checked. The VAR party-poopers are trying their best here, but the goal is finally given!

Oh. My. Word. In the final Goodison Park derby, Everton have a last-gasp equaliser as James Tarkowski smashes the ball into the roof of the net. There are fans on the pitch … Everton celebrating in a great blue bundle down by the uprooted corner flag … and a VAR check!

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95 mins: We continue, with another minute or two due after that clash of heads. No Michael Keane, but O’Brien has pushed upfield alongside Doucoure and Beto …

94 mins: Nunez, who was sent in the direction of Bramley Moore dock by that one-two, stays down briefly but is OK to carry on. Now, two Everton players – Alcaraz and Branthwaite – are down after banging heads.

93 mins: Iroegbunam plays a one-two with Doucoure and sees his name up in bright blue lights – but his shot from 30 yards out flies high and wide. At the other end, Jota threatens to break through on goal but is closed down.

92 mins: Mykolenko has time and space to whip a cross in but sends it into the stands, much to the home fans’ dismay.

90 mins: Salah dances through the Everton defence and looks to have been brought down near the edge of the area – but Michael Oliver simply gestures for him to get up and get on with it.

89 mins: There will be five added minutes. It says something for Everton’s attacking options that David Moyes is about to send Michael Keane on as a makeshift centre-forward.

“Mo Salah’s smash has given Liverpool the advantage but perhaps Carlos Alcaraz can get Everton back to deuce,” says Peter Oh.

87 mins: Jota immediately gets involved, jinking in and out of the area and finding Salah, whose shot is heading straight for the top corner until Pickford throws an arm out to tip it over the bar.

86 mins: After Nunez and Tarkowski grapple for what feels like a full minute, Young comes on for Garner. For Liverpool, Diogo Jota replaces Luis Diaz.

84 mins: Beto gets a yard of space and shoots, but his effort from 25 yards out is scuffed and easy for Alisson. Everton are sending Ashley Young on imminently.

82 mins: That goal has sucked a lot of energy out of the stadium, and Everton look a little punch-drunk as they try to regroup for a final push.

A goal either side of half-time has Bayern Munich 2-0 up and in charge against Celtic:

“Salah just doing Salah things,” notes Ben Wilkinson. “Liverpool surely have to win the League and have a proper go at the Champions League this season, if only to get this man his Ballon d’Or.”

79 mins: Worth noting that Salah has had a relatively quiet game, yet has still delivered a goal and an assist. He adds another magic moment here, a stunned backheel pass to Alexander-Arnold, whose sweeping ball upfield is just beyond Nunez.

77 mins: Changes for Everton – new recruit Carlos Alcaraz takes the mantle of flinty playmaker from Jesper Lindstrom, and Tim Iroegbunam replaces the booked Gueye in midfield.

75 mins: That is Mo Salah’s 22nd Premier League goal of the season and might be the most important of all. Liverpool have been right up against it tonight, but might just escape with a win and a nine-point lead that feels unassailable at this stage of the season.

Who else could it be? Luis Diaz’s cross is cut out by Tarkowski and Curtis Jones is quick to react, lashing the rebound across goal. It’s headed away by O’Brien, but only as far as Mohamed Salah, who slams the ball home at the far post. Inevitable!

Everton have looked the more likely team to score for the entire second half – so, of course, it’s Liverpool who go in front!

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View image in fullscreen

71 mins: The ball is whipped in and punched away by Alisson, but Everton get it back and it falls to Tarkowski, 15 yards out. He should really just smash it at goal but decides to play it sideways instead, and Doucoure hoofs his effort way over the bar.

70 mins: Jack Harrison, who has done well after coming on for the injured Ndiaye, wins a free kick after a trip from Mac Allister …

68 mins: Two more Liverpool changes: Robertson replaced by Tsimikas, and Darwin Núñez on for the ineffective Gakpo. This game does appear tailor-made for the Uruguayan’s particular set of skills.

NO GOAL! Branthwaite bundles home from the corner from O’Brien’s header – but it’s flagged offside and replays confirm that O’Brien was offside in the buildup.

66 mins: Everton win a corner as Van Dijk stops Beto from meeting Harrison’s cross at the near post. Doucoure twirls his arms, amping up the home crowd …

65 mins: In the Everton area, Szoboszlai goes down under pressure from Mykolenko, who has a little look up at Michael Oliver – but replays show there wasn’t any real contact.

64 mins: Jones gets booked for a lunge on Lindstrom as Liverpool continue to be put through the wringer in midfield.

62 mins: Under pressure (again) from Beto, Konate sees the ball bobble onto his arm as he’s grappling with the Everton forward. No penalty, and VAR waves it away too. It would have been harsh.