Here we go again with the Liverpool fans throwing flares on the pitch! Yes, flares, on the field, again, this time at Goodison Park as LFC beat their rivals Everton 1-0 thanks to a very late extra time goal from Sadio Mane. It was an ugly, ugly affair- low scoring, pushing and shoving between the two sides and a dirty play or two.
Hey, the Merseyside Derby, especially when it’s at night, brings out a lot of heated emotions.
Flares too, as you can see from above and below, photo credit @MelissaReddy_ Liverpool correspondent for Goal.
It wasn’t such flares being thrown on the pitch, we also saw a showering of Santa Claus hats rain down as well. Make the Yuletide gay!…If the fates allow.
The Santa hats were emblazoned with the Everton logo and handed out to attendees as a promotion. Overall, it was far from a beautiful contest, and the match may very well be remembered more for the extra curricular silliness that ensued more so than the football itself.
Via Goal:
The first half followed the old-school template for a derby: plenty of throttle and needle, but there was little quality or control in possession.
There were no shots on target from either team, just a solitary corner won by Everton on 43 minutes and no moment when either goalkeeper would’ve felt particularly stretched. The hosts, as expected from their crowd, started hard, fast and fiery. Liverpool matched their aggression and appetite for a tussle, but were without their usual fluency and telepathy between the lines.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.