The final Merseyside derby brought to an end a 131-year rivalry at the ground with a fiery 2-2 draw. While the title race intensifies in the Premier League.
GOODISON RIVALRY ENDS WITH LIVERPOOL KISS
The final whistle has blown on a Goodison Park history between Merseyside blue and red that has lasted 131 years. The English Premier League match between Everton and Liverpool ended 2-2 this week.
This marked the final Merseyside derby at Everton’s famous old home, which is being closed at the end of the season, as the club moves to a 52,888-capacity stadium. The final score after 120 games: Everton 41 wins, Liverpool 41 wins, 38 draws.
But, it all ended in fitting Merseyside fashion. The expression “Liverpool kiss” exists for a reason! Everton’s equaliser came in the 98th minute sparking a mass brawl and four red cards issued after the final whistle.
EVERTON ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING RED
Look, I’m not taking sides with the above, but Adbouyale Doucoure’s red after the full-time whistle (the official time is (90+12) was Everton’s 109th such card in the history of the English Premier League (1992 onwards).
That places them second to Arsenal (110) at the top of the “red card table”. Liverpool’s 68 by contrast leaves them 11th. The list of the most reds is: Arsenal 110, Everton 109, Newcastle 93, Chelsea 91, West Ham 86 and Tottenham and Blackburn Rovers with 78. So, one could suggest that Everton have “history”.
FA FEEDBACK ON BOXING DAY BRAWL
According to an English Football Association investigation, there were 20 players and staff involved in the half-time tunnel brawl of the EPL Boxing Day game featuring Newcastle and Aston Villa.
Wading through the report it’s strange to see the legal “Mr” prefix before the names, but suffice to say the main protagonists were Newcastle assistant Mr Jason Tindall, Villa video analyst Mr Victor Manas and Villa manager Mr Unai Emery.
The flashpoint was the straight red shown to Villa’s Mr Jhon Duran in the 32nd minute. Mr Tindall later re-appeared in the 85th minute wearing a WHAM hoodie and goading Newcastle’s staff. And that’s official!
TROLLS TAKE TO ‘X’ AT SPURS’ EXPENSE
Remember when SA Tourism proposed a R1-billion shirt sponsorship deal with Tottenham? Fortunately, it was shut down – although does anyone know where that R1bn went instead? – and the north London club continue to have a tough time attracting positive publicity.
This week they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa and social media trolling kicked in. Global pizza brand Dominos (UK) posted on X: “We have sold 78,427,391 pizzas since Spurs last won a trophy.”
One minute later Specsavers also posted on X: “Since Tottenham’s last trophy, we’ve given 43,324,823,013,324,734 eye tests.” Not sure who had a chortle, but clearly there are many out there who think Spurs are a joke.
UNITED’S ‘GREY KIT RECORD’ IS BROKEN
When Man United disappeared down the tunnel at half-time in their 1996 English Premier League match trailing 3-0 to Southampton, they changed shirts – and were fined £10,000 for doing so – and re-emerged for the second half in a different kit because “they were struggling to see each other in their grey kit.
They still lost 3-0. That kit was never worn again making it the fewest minutes a kit has ever been worn by a club in a top-flight match.
However, Galatasaray have taken over the record, unless they use the outfit again when the opposition walked off the field after 34 minutes protesting the referee’s awarding of a penalty, which Alvaro Morata netted.
GUNNERS PROVES THEMSELVES THE PAST MASTERS
When Ethan Nwaneri banged home the final goal in Arsenal’s recent demolition of Man City, it was after 36 passes between the Gunners players in a 1min 58sec period, the longest sequence ending in a goal this EPL season.
However, it falls short of the top five passing sequences ending in goals in EPL history. Topping those charts is Nacer Chadli’s goal for Tottenham against QPR in 2014 (48 passes), while Phil Foden (Man City vs Forest, 46 passes) in 2023 is next.
Juan Mata (Man United vs Southampton, 2015) and Ilkay Gundogan and Sergio Aguero (both City, vs Man United and Everton, in 2018 and 2021), finished off moves lasting 45, 44 and 42 passes, respectively.
RIISE’S MARATHON TREADMILL STINT
The Washie 100-miler (160km) which ends in East London is the longest high-profile run in South Africa and it’s not for sissies, is the expression. Hats off then to former Liverpool defender (348 caps) John Arne Riise who last weekend continued his remarkable fitness revolution when spending 24 straight hours on an indoor treadmill.
The 44-year-old Norwegian was taking part in a charity mental health awareness event. Riise covered 172km in 24 hours – almost exactly two Comrades Marathons.
“I’m going home, shower, put my feet on the couch, order the biggest kebab ever with hot sauce, Pepsi Max, candy, and then I’m not going to move for two days,” he said. Respect.
