Everton 0 - 0 Liverpool

Everton:
Liverpool:

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Pre-Match

Derby day is here! The Liverpool FC Women head to Goodison Park to take on Everton with a chance to overtake Manchester United for 4th place in the table. That’s a lot of local rivalry narratives to unpack. Liverpool feel to Everton in the revers fixture at Anfield earlier this season, but the Reds have been the much better side on the whole this season. Matt Beard’s squad enter the derby match on the back of three straight league wins while Everton have dropped two straight. Of course, being a Merseyside derby means form and standings go out the window.

Liverpool have a local flair to their squad as Scousers Lucy Parry and Missy Bo Kearns both start. Parry is in at right wing back with Emma Koivisto missing out on the team completely while Missy Bo Kearns gets the nod over Marie Höbinger. Fuka Nagano makes her return from injury and slots right back into the holding midfield role with Sophie Lundgaard out for the season. Gemma Bonner is back from suspension and on the bench.

First Half

Liverpool with a good early chance after the break forward from their own half. Ceri Holland drives down the middle of the pitch with the ball before eventually feeding it to Missy Bo Kearns as the Scouser makes a run into the box on her right. Kearns tries a quick shot but the ball is blocked, but only as far as Lucy Parry on the right side of the box. The young wing back brings the ball under control and looks to put a cross in, but that ball is also blocked out.

Both sides playing with a lot of intensity early on, but the frenetic pace has caused some sloppy play. A lot of turnovers in the early going, with a decent few of them being of the unforced variety.

A bit of a concern for Everton as goalkeeper Brosnan requires treatment. She had gone down for a few moments when the ball was in the Liverpool half, but had gotten back up. Now she is down again after she collected a long through ball meant for Ceri Holland that saw the midfielder give the goalkeeper a bump as they came together. Holland is shown a yellow card for her part in the challenge and Brosnan is able to continue after several minutes of treatment.

Now Ceri Holland is down requiring treatment. The LFC medical staff is taking a look at her knee. She’s up after a minute and seems to be ok thankfully.

Leanne Kiernan has looked lively in the early going. She nips the ball off of a defender near the midfield stripe and charges forward with the ball, surrounded by defenders. She elects to take a shot from outside the box but it lacks any real power and is also well wide of the target, going out for a goal kick.

Liverpool fashion a chance for Sophie Roman Haug after some nice play on the right. Leanne Kiernan plays it wide to Lucy Parry, and the wing back draws a defender in to her before sliding the ball back to Jenna Clark. The center back lifts a good ball into the box and it finds Roman Haug, but the striker heads the ball directly at the goalkeeper.

Liverpool come close to catching Brosnan off of her line. Sophie Roman Haug intercepts the ball in midfield and take a pop from distance with the Everton goalkeeper well out of net. The ball just doesn’t have enough pace on it and Brosnan is able to scramble back and deal with it.

A bad pass from Fuka Nagano sends Everton on the attack. Liverpool deal with the initial break, but the Blues keep control and eventually earn a corner kick. The set piece in is a good one, and the ball is only partially cleared a couple of times before Liverpool are able to break forward through Leanne Kiernan. She’s again driving forward surrounded by defenders and does well to keep possession and recycle possession after her teammates catch up with her.

Leanne Kiernan has the ball near the Everton endline near the corner flag on the right side of the pitch. She gets a two-handed shove in the back, but somehow Kiernan is called for a foul. Mind-boggling stuff from the referee crew there.

Liverpool earn their first corner of the batch on their right side. Missy Bo Kearns puts a good ball in, and it is flicked on past everyone. The Reds maintain possession and cycle the ball back out to Kearns on the right. She is fouled and has the chance to put in a free kick from a dangerous area. The ball is again sent in and Leanne Kiernan heads it down, but is unable to keep it in play as it goes behind for a goal kick.

Grace Fisk with a poor pass played inside is picked off by Everton, and the Blues immediately get it forward. They get a shot off from the edge of the box but it fizzes wide of the post. Best look for the home side so far.

Liverpool get another good look towards the end of the first half. A ball in from the right is mishit by Sophie Roman Haug, but the ball bounces kindly for Jasmine Matthews, who takes a first time strike. An Everton defender lays her body on the line to block the shot out for a corner. Missy Bo Kearns sends a dangerous curling ball in that Brosnan is forced to punch out from underneath her own crossbar.

Liverpool ramping up the pressure in the eight minutes of added time at the end of the first half. Several times the Reds get the ball into the Everton box and force some last-ditch defending to keep the ball out of the net before the referee blows for half time.

Second Half

No changes for either side as we get underway in the second half. Let’s hope Liverpool can clean up some of the sloppy play and take their chances.

Ouch, Lucy Parry charges forward to press and takes a ball directly to the face from close range. She’s back up and seems ok after a moment.

Liverpool break forward and Leanne Kiernan plays the ball out wide for Lucy Parry to run on to. The young wing back takes a couple of touches before lofting a cross into the box. Sophie Roman Haug wins the aerial battle, but her header doesn’t have any pace on it and makes for a simple save.

Missy Bo Kearns with a slick pass that she flips up over her shoulder for Sophie Roman Haug. The Liverpool striker carries the ball down the left channel and plays a ball to the far post as she enters the box. Leanne Kiernan makes the run but the ball is cut out just ahead of her.

Some very good defending by Grace Fisk after a very poor pass by Nimah Fahey sees an Everton attacker isolated with Fisk 1v1 at the top of the box. The Liverpool defender stays calm and and eventually is able to play the ball away.

Liverpool break forward in a 3v3 as Leanne Kiernan carries the ball forward flanked by Missy Bo Kearns and Sophie Roman Haug. Kiernan slots it to the right and Kearns decides to shoot immediately from distance. The shot is not a great one, and takes a slight deflection that takes even more pace off of it for an easy save. Chance wasted there.

That will be the last action for Missy Bo Kearns as she is withdrawn for Marie Höbinger. Leanne Kiernan also comes off the pitch for young Mia Enderby.

Jasmine Matthews is now down in the Liverpool box and requires treatment. They medical staff are working on her right hamstring, and Matthews will not be able to continue. Yana Daniels comes on in her stead.

Now Yana Daniels is in a spot of trouble in her first action on the pitch. She loses a high ball in the sun and has to adjust at the last moment to get her head to it. She immediately goes down after heading the ball. Liverpool play the ball out of play and Matthews gets up gingerly but seems ok.

Liverpool earn a corner kick on the left side after Yana Daniels plays the ball down the line for Ceri Holland and it is swept away by a defender. Höbinger plays it short to Mia Enderby, who returns the ball to the midfielder. Höbinger lofts it to the back post for Sophie Roman Haug, but the striker can only touch the ball into the outside of the side netting.

Yiiiikes. Liverpool look a mess at the back after Everton are allowed to play on with advantage. A shot from the edge of the box just beats Laws but comes back off of the post. The ball bounces kindly for another Everton attacker who is able to half turn before Liverpool get bodies in the way to block a shot out.

Liverpool make another change. Melissa Lawley is being introduced for Lucy Parry in an attempt to jumpstart the attack. It signals a change in formation as well, with Grace Fisk sliding to right back of a 4-3-3 with Lawley going to one of the forward spots.

Liverpool again causing themselves angst. First it is Yana Daniels who looks to nutmeg a player pressing her and failing, losing the ball deep in her own half. Then Melissa Lawley gets caught on the ball after Liverpool deal with the initial danger, allowing Everton to continue the attack before Liverpool eventually whack the ball clear.

Laws is forced into a save now as Everton get a good shot off from the edge of the box. The shot went through the legs of Ceri Holland, making Laws have to react quickly to palm the ball away.

Liverpool are getting opportunities on the counter, but players making unforced errors with passes or ball control is turning the ball over before the Reds can generate any sort of chance. Everton are looking more composed late in the second half and look more likely to nick a goal at this point.

Everton earn a corner and again put Liverpool under pressure. The ball goes to the far post and is mead with a thumping header, but the ball flies wide of the far post.

Liverpool finally fashion a decent chance after some great ball movement. Several players combine to quickly move the ball forward before it is clipped over the shoulder of Sophie Roman Haug. The striker brings the ball down with a defender on her shoulder and tries a shot as she enters the box, but she can’t get good contact and the ball goes harmlessly out for a goal kick.

There will be seven minutes of added time for either side to find a winner. Everton have the momentum.

Huuuuuge chance for Liverpool! Ceri Holland carries the ball all the way down the left channel, past a defender and into the box. She advances on the goalkeeper and tries to get a shot away as the keeper and a couple of defenders all slide in. The ball is deflected agonizingly wide of the near post and out for a corner.

Höbinger sends the set piece in, but the referee immediately blows the whistle for a foul on Liverpool. Ceri Holland is down, and the medical staff come on to check her ankle. Holland looks to be in a lot of pain and eventually limps off the pitch.

Mia Enderby surges forward down the left flank, gliding past her marker. She gets near the box and drives a ball in towards several Liverpool players making runs into the box, but the ball is too close to the goalkeeper and is collected.

Everton get it forward now as there are several collisions between players challenging for the ball. Liverpool manage to handle the situation eventually as to clock ticks over the minimum of seven extra minutes.

Liverpool with a last gasp chance as they try to move the ball up the left. Mia Enderby is too quick for her marker and is fouled on the left side of the box. Höbinger sends the free kick in, but it goes over everyone. Ceri Holland recovers it and lofts it back in, but the ball is cleared. That will be the last significant action as Liverpool will be frustrated with a 0-0 draw.

Final Thoughts

As was mentioned in the pre-match, form and standing go out the window in a derby match. Both sides played with high intensity, but it was not played with any consistent flow. Liverpool were often sloppy as a result of trying to rush and force things to happen, giving Everton a fighting chance in the match. Everton were the better side late in the second half as Liverpool gifted possession to the Blues too many times. In the end, the 0-0 result still sees Liverpool move past Manchester United into sole possession of the fourth spot in the WSL table. Liverpool will host Manchester City next Saturday in a match with big implications in both the title race for City and the chance for Europe for the Reds.