Premier League: Final-gasp Everton aim earns dramatic draw in opposition to Liverpool in last derby at Goodison Park

James Tarkowski of Everton scores his staff’s second aim throughout the Premier League match in opposition to Liverpool FC at Goodison Park on February 12, 2025 in Liverpool, England.
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4 targets, 4 purple playing cards and a last-gasp equaliser that can go down in English soccer lore. It was fairly the wild trip within the a hundred and twentieth and last Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday (February 12, 2025).

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

It was nearly the final kick of the sport, sparking wild celebrations inside certainly one of English soccer’s most venerable and atmospheric stadiums, which might be demolished on the finish of this season.

“Superb to attain and what an incredible night time,” stated Tarkowski, whose uncommon aim might be remembered as one of many nice moments in Goodison Park’s lengthy historical past.

The “Grand Outdated Girl” — because the stadium is fondly known as by the locals — has been Everton’s house since 1892. The membership is shifting to a brand new 52,888-capacity venue at Bramley-Moore Dock on Liverpool’s waterfront.

Liverpool nonetheless on prime

Tarkowski’s strike denied Liverpool a victory that will have lifted the leaders 9 factors clear atop the league. As an alternative, Liverpool’s benefit over Arsenal is seven factors after 24 video games.

Liverpool and Everton gamers tussle following the ultimate whistle in a Premier League soccer match at Goodison Park, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025
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AP

Beto put Everton forward within the eleventh minute — the striker celebrated by hitting LeBron James’ “Silencer” transfer — earlier than Alexis Mac Allister equalized within the sixteenth by heading house a right-wing cross from Mohamed Salah, who put Liverpool in entrance within the 73rd together with his league-leading twenty second aim of the marketing campaign.

Tarkowski’s banger

Then got here Tarkowski’s wonderful — and, to some, becoming — intervention, together with his aim solely awarded after a protracted, agonizing video evaluate for a possible offside within the buildup.

“I simply noticed the ball going large and thought, Final minute, why not?’ Tarkowski stated. “It managed to fall to me and I let it rip.” The motion did not cease there.

After the ultimate whistle, Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure appeared to have fun in entrance of Liverpool’s followers and was confronted by Liverpool substitute Curtis Jones, resulting in a melee involving extra gamers, officers, stewards and even law enforcement officials.

Doucoure and Jones each had been proven second yellow playing cards, whereas Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot and his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, received straight purple playing cards. Slot may need been despatched off for shaking the hand of referee Michael Oliver aggressively.

Goodbye to Goodison Park

The house followers created a usually feverish ambiance — blue smoke stuffed the air across the floor earlier than kickoff and Everton’s gamers got a rapturous welcome as they arrived for the sport — they usually witnessed essentially the most wonderful of finishes.

“The place was boiling scorching all night time, emotional,” Everton supervisor David Moyes stated. “It was an unbelievable ambiance contained in the stadium.”

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk acknowledged it was “intense” and had his personal opinion on the post-match melee.

“I feel Abdoulaye Doucoure needed to impress our followers,” Van Dijk stated. “I feel that’s what I noticed and Curtis Jones did not assume it was the correct factor to do. After which you realize what occurs if there’s a little tussle.”

As for Slot’s ideas on the sport, the event and maybe his personal purple card, they should wait. He wasn’t allowed to present post-match interviews after getting despatched off, below Premier League guidelines.

The stats will present the groups met 120 instances in all competitions at Goodison Park, beginning with the primary assembly in 1894, and every gained 41 instances.

It was a rearranged league recreation, with the unique assembly — scheduled for Dec. 7 — postponed due to stormy climate.