On Sunday, local rivals Everton and Liverpool clashed in another pulsating Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. A 100th-minute header from Reds captain Virgil van Dijk secured a much-needed 2-1 victory.
The Reds made derby history by winning the first-ever derby at Everton’s new home, with Mohamed Salah also becoming the first player to score in the encounter at the new stadium.
Same old story
The venue may have been a new one, but the script from recent derby games was a similar one. Usually, in Merseyside derbies, Everton head into the encounters as underdogs. This time, many were favouring the Toffees for victory.
However, as so often is the case, luck and self-destruction gifted Liverpool the victory. To see a first-half Iliman Ndiaye goal disallowed, only for Mohamed Salah to open the scoring a few minutes later from a Dwight McNeil, summed up Everton in derbies.
Even though the Toffees made a bright start, they failed to capitalise on a shaky beginning from Liverpool before the Salah goal. This is a trait that seems to befall the Toffees so often.
Liverpool’s determination to keep going, looking for a winning goal, was evident in the last 20 minutes. The home side dropped deeper, and at one each, there was only going to be one winner, which came from the head of Van Dijk.
The goal was a big one for Liverpool, as they had been at their best in the derby, or for most of the season, so it must have brought a sense of relief to everyone connected to the club.
An inferiority complex
The last ever derby at Goodison Park last season ended in a 2-2 draw, but in truth, Everton have struggled to beat their rivals, whether at home or away, for decades.
Toffees fans would have been hoping that the change of venue would have led to a change in fortunes. However, the game resulted in familiar disappointment, compounded by a highly unpopular player’s injury-time winner.
The venue didn’t matter. There was still a familiar inferiority complex among the Everton players and management that the fans don’t subscribe to. Until there is a change of mentality on the blue half of Merseyside, it doesn’t matter where the team plays, as it will always end in disappointment.