This was a day of contrasts as Liverpool started a team of starlets and veterans while Everton went with a strong side to try and finally claim a Merseyside Derby win. But it wasn’t to be.
Curtis Jones ensured the day would go down in memory as he hit his first ever senior goal against the Toffies – and what a screamer it was. Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane would have been delighted with it as Jones whipped it with incredible pace and power from the edge of the box.
Nat Phillips, Yasser Larouci and Takumi Minamino made their Liverpool debut while the rest of the side was made up of 18-year-old Neco Williams, 22-year-old Pedro Chirivella, 18-year-old Jones and 16-year-old Harvey Elliot.
Mason Holgate missed the best chance of the opening exchanges when he headed straight at Adrian after finding himself unmarked and in acres of space in the area. Despite their youth and inexperience, the Reds enjoyed 57% possession after 24 minutes. But, inevitably, the pressure and experience and quality from Everton started to show as they wasted chance after chance after chance.
Adam Lallana and Minamino looked the brightest sparks as they looked to break forward from midfield, and Lallana had a few shots from range as he looked to pull the strings in the engine room.
In truth, there was more passion than quality from both sides but Liverpool picked things up after the break as Williams continued to impress. Everton found their opportunities to score restricted and then Jones hit his goal. And that was that.
