Late Tarkowski goal earns Everton draw in emotional derby finale

Everton captain James Tarkowski equalised deep into stoppage time to earn them a 2-2 Premier League draw against Liverpool in a storybook finish to a dramatic final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

Liverpool extended their lead atop the league table to seven points over second-placed Arsenal with what had been their game in hand, while Everton climbed to 10 points above the drop zone in 15th.

And after 131 years of Goodison derbies, the draw was a fitting ending with the final tally totalling 41 wins apiece and 38 draws.

Liverpool looked poised for victory when Tarkowski struck in the 98th minute with a blistering shot into the top corner. Bedlam ensued with scores of fans piling onto the pitch, before a lengthy VAR review ruled the goal was onside.

The fulltime whistle sparked a scuffle between the players and both Everton's Abdoulaye Doucoure and the Reds' Curtis Jones were shown red cards after Jones took umbrage at Doucoure celebrating in front of the Liverpool fans, while Liverpool boss Arne Slot was also shown a red.

"I think that it was a bit of an old fashioned game," Everton boss David Moyes said. "The emotions were running high, the stadium was at fever pitch. You could see what it meant to supporters at the end of the game, the crowd was rocking."

Everton's Beto had the old stadium shaking with his 11th-minute goal, running onto a free kick that Jarrad Branthwaite cleverly slipped into the left side of the box and slotting the ball under the arm of goalkeeper Alisson.

The jubilation lasted all of five minutes as Alexis Mac Allister levelled, timing his run perfectly to meet Mohamed Salah's cross then finishing with a glancing header to the bottom corner.

Both sides had chances in a chaotic match and the league's top scorer Salah struck to give Liverpool the lead in the 73rd minute against the run of play with his 22nd goal of the campaign. Everton struggled to clear and Branthwaite headed Curtis Jones' shot into the path of Salah, who slammed the ball in.

"AMAZING NIGHT"

Tarkowski's winner was a nice change of fortune for the defender after he gave away both goals in their FA Cup loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.

"Amazing to score and what an amazing night," a smiling Tarkowski said. "I just saw the ball going wide and thought 'Last minute, why not?'"

The final derby before Everton move to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for the start of the 2025-26 season was due to be played in December but was postponed due to Storm Darragh and its midweek prime-time evening slot on Wednesday made it the final game to be played under the Goodison floodlights.

Both teams squandered several chances in the breathless match, with Liverpool narrowly missing just before halftime when Jordan Pickford saved Dominik Szoboszlai's low drive and then Tarkowski slid in to stop Luis Diaz from having a shot from close range.

"Very disappointing to concede in the last second of the game," said Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

"This is their cup final and they would try to do everything in their power to make it difficult for us. It is a big boost for them but a blow for us."

Everton had a couple of chances early in the second including a sitter that Doucoure headed well wide that had manager David Moyes holding his head in his hands in disbelief.

Branthwaite celebrated what he thought was a goal in the second half, but it was chalked off for offside.