Liverpool ‘absolutely robbed’ as the Reds see their arses over derby draw

Liverpool fans are losing their minds over that derby draw, with Michael Oliver in their crossfire. And Everton are told to ‘stay classy’.

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Seeing red
I’m really confused. I thought that the red cartel ran everything but I’ve just watched the ‘best’ referee give every marginal decision to the blue team whilst the media (F365) celebrate Tarkowski as ‘a hero to us all’.

Anyone care to explain?
James Outram, Wirral

Robbery at Goodison
I’m livid. Attempting to keep this calm and precise as I run the risk of wasting my time not getting printed if I state this in the wrong manner. If you’ve ever come across a letter of mine in this mailbox you’ll know three things: I’m generally fair and objective, I’m as equally critical of my own club as any other, and I rarely moan about match officials. That said, we were absolutely robbed at Goodison and it is infuriating.

From the minute I’d seen it was Chris Kavanagh as the VAR tonight I knew we’d be up against it. Unfortunately, the minute I’d seen it was Chris Kavanagh as the VAR tonight was approximately 90’+5′ when he was reviewing the offside call on Tarkowski’s late strike to draw the game.

Plainly, offside calls are not meant to consider hands or elbows (in this case Van Dijk’s), meaning one cannot play an opposing player onside with an arm (below the shirt sleeve), so Everton’s goal should not have counted. Ashley Young’s leg was clearly extended well beyond the plane where Van Dijk’s shirt sleeve ends, and it is so simple a reading as to be academic.

But if that’s too forensic, if it’s too granular or microscopic to find exact frames of Van Dijk and Ashley Young down to nano-millimeters the width of a bird poo (that’s for you, Ashley), then Kavanagh should at least possess enough integrity in this ill-suited dodgy remit of his to zoom out a bit and see the macro-obvious view of Konate being shoved in the back, rendering him unable to head the ball clear seconds earlier in the same phase of play. It is so, so, so blatant. This isn’t grainy Zapruder film, this is a multitude of high-def angles with modern day tech, providing the ability for unquestionable views from which to draw fair and objective conclusions.

Instead, we’re left in the hands of a VAR from Greater Manchester and an on-field representative in Michael Oliver (yes he of the inarguable ties to Abu Dhabi, with the litany of priors for controversy particularly when refereeing fixtures involving Liverpool and Arsenal). It’s possible then, likely even, that these two inept buffoons got swept by the emotion of a last derby at Goodison like little fanboys get, too scared to make the right call because it would alter vibes and narrative (which is actually the less cynical take, if you can believe it, because I shudder to think what many other possible motivations or explanations there could be).

Regardless, this result tonight was categorically unfair, end of. But rather than Arteta about it and Goonering on and on, we’ll take the point and the high road, and we’ll f*cking go again.
Eric, Los Angeles CA

Michael Oliver: Just sh*t
I’ve been saying all season that Oliver isn’t corrupt. He’s just a sh*t ref. Today is perfect proof of that; he had no control of the game, gave a free kick for absolutely no contact which leads to the first Everton goal and then allows them to get away with all sorts all game long.

Then Beto makes a two-handed push in Konate’s back at the end and somehow he and VAR miss that despite him managing to see all the non existent contact he spent the evening blowing the whistle for.

The most telling moment is when the Everton players get a clear head injury. Mandalay instantly signals to stop the game and Oliver says play on. You can see when it’s stopped after that Tarkowski and Salah and discussing it on camera and Mo is asking him what he’s supposed to do. It wasn’t aggressive at all, it was like they both knew an idiot was in charge so you can’t help the dumb decisions all around the game.

Don’t get me wrong, Liverpool failed to assert themselves all game long and got dragged down to Everton’s level for the most part. The team looked poor mostly and never really looked on top until they were leading at which point we looked good for about 10 minutes.

This game was a shot to nothing in many respects and so an extra point doesn’t hurt us. Everton played dirty and we showed we could also give a bit of that back which I actually think is a positive. Dropping 2 points at the end like that is a bit of a downer and Jones seeing red at the end is also not ideal. All in all very frustrating.
Minty, LFC

MORE ON EVERTON v LIVERPOOL FROM F365:
👉 Liverpool wheels fall off for Arne Slot as Everton do a Man Utd in glorious Merseyside derby
👉 Arne Slot ‘raging’ as ex-PGMOL chief admits to Michael Oliver mistake in Merseyside derby
👉 ‘Out of order’ Liverpool star ‘overreacted’ to sh*thousery as Van Dijk hits out at Michael Oliver

…It’s a push and a foul and if you are sitting in the VAR room, the ref not giving it is a clear and obvious error. but for the push, Konate heads it clear and surely Oliver would eventually have to blow it. Officials have to be brave enough to make these calls in the last minute of a tense derby. Pitch invasion or not!

Everton set out to bring Liverpool down to their level. Fair enough. Arguably the ref should prevent this happening by enforcing the rules of the game to allow the football to be played. But if you’ve decided to turn back the clock and ref it like a 90s derby you have to ref it evenly.

What’s a foul on a player in blue, has to be a foul on a player in red.

I thought VVD gave a very calm interview afterwards but the 2 salient points on the referee were correct:

1. He lost control of the game; and
2. What was a foul for one team wasn’t for the other.

After Oliver lost control with a smattering of yellows in the first half. it was hard to believe that there wasn’t a red in the second half and there should have been. Gueye’s cynical pull on Gakpo is a (second) yellow all day!
PL from DL

…Genuinely one of the worst reffed games of football I’ve ever seen.

Michael Oliver is so obscenely sh*t at his job it belies belief.
Mark

Never fancied her anyway
Any other Liverpool fans not bothered about the result?

It was win-win really. We’ve extended (yes extended) our lead over Arsenal and Forest, and at the same time given our little mates over the park something to celebrate about in the absence of trophies.

I thought there were a few dodgy refereeing decisions, but ultimately who’s arsed? A proper derby like we used to have. It’s a nice reminder that not all passion has been drilled out of the game. A fitting derby to close the book on that dump of a ground!
Seamus

…First Plymouth decided to play the cup final of their lives against our reserve team in the FA Cup, then Michael Oliver f*cked us and this dirty Everton team got away with a massive… draw.

SO WHAT? We’re still 7 points at the top of the table with no challenger in sight, have a Carabao Cup Final against a specialist anti-Arsenal Newcastle side, and are cruising in the Champions League.

Not a crisis if you ask me, we’re still well set for trophies at the end of the season!
Romulus Shani, LFC (FYI Arsenal, City and Chelsea are also thoroughly fcked for various reasons)

Did we lose at Goodison?
Having looked at the replay of the scenes after the match at Goodison, one might be mistaken that Everton won the Champions League final.

Liverpool fans will take heart that a draw against us is now worthy of such celebration.

Can you imagine if Doucoure was on the team that beat Barca 4-0 after overcoming a 3-0 deficit? He might just burn a Barca flag in front of the away fans.

I’m at least happy for Moyes, he seems a decent enough chap. And we didn’t lose.

A 7-point lead is still a healthy one, let’s move on and keep the focus.
TW, Singapore

…It’s the last derby at your fabled home stadium. The occasion is steeped in history and heritage. Your team’s been skulking in your neighbour’s shadow since the mid-1980s. Your boys score a thumping, dramatic 96th-minute equaliser, in a moment that your community will remember for years to come.

Of course the most rational course of action is to sprint the length of the ground to celebrate in front of… the away fans? Stay classy, Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Mark, Cape Town

That was a proper derby
Wow. This has been a proper Premier League derby. Actual battles. Duncan Ferguson would be proud.

Last derby at Goodison, it’s a bit naughty to celebrate that goal like that but also yeah why not.

It’s a foul though innit? Would have been a riot! Well, even more than it already was. Maybe they’ll get fined just enough to take them outside PSR and they’ll get docked the points.

What’s the point of sending a player off after the game and then they are allowed to say on the pitch as the game is over?

Only an equaliser though Everton.

These are the same players that Dyche had right? This form is all Moyes.

Really happy with a 7 point lead in the league. Everton away is often a draw. That’s 3 wins Arsenal or 4 wins that forest need to find. Lots of football to play of course. Not sure if Oliver is still sending people off.
Alex, South London

Actually, we were rubbish
Firstly, everything else is a bit of a distraction from the fact Liverpool played really badly last night. Sure Oliver had a disastrous night but so it goes. That is a very average Everton team, who obviously played well above their normal level on a historic occasion, but still probably our worst performance of the season.

Slot talked about cool heads and ended up being sent off. More worryingly it feels like Liverpool haven’t really played well at all in 2025. Every game feels harder than it should be, and even the ones when we get ahead in tight situations (United and Everton) – the classic ‘these are the kinds of games that win you the title’ – we’re not seeing through.

The pressure is all on Liverpool now. We still have a cushion but there are definitely cracks appearing – we’ve dropped from about 2.5 pts per game to 2pts per game since January. And in many ways the pressure is off Arsenal – nobody expects them to win it. Very big performances needed in the next four games.
RH, NYC

Never reading F365 again
It’s crazy that we both watched Everton players dive their way to match defining ref calls and this site can be so elated.

I get it…Liverpool are good. But for christ sake theyev had their hearts broken by cheating feckers multiple seasons. Pool shoukd be chasing a 4th title in 8 years and yes they absolutely did it the right f**king way spending less than about half the f**king leaguè.

So stop yearning for them to lose just because they happen to be worse than everton.

Never reading your site again. Xxx
Patricio Del Toro

Everton: Petty
Imagine.. the last home Merseyside derby and choosing a picture of Arteta celebrating versus all the years that Everton put Liverpool to the sword at Goodison. So many great players ignored for pettiness. It’s not even embarrassing, it will be regretful for all Everton fans if Liverpool do win the league regardless of the result because an opportunity of memory is shot. Shocking. Shite game, fair result.
Dazza, Dublin, LFC

Stop the corruption talk
Can we finally put to bed this absolute nonsense that Michael Oliver is corrupt!! We’re half way through this game and he hasn’t booked one Arsenal player.
Dean, Up the Millers (or down because we’re shit)

Football has disappeared up its own arsehole
Love to see that handball from Konate. “His hand was in a natural position” – somewhere about chest high! It was in that position as he was holding back the attacker and as he let go his arm hit the ball. Foul? Handball? Nothing? There is no way a rule book can determine. We need the refs to be in charge again.
Tony Clarke

MORE ON EVERTON v LIVERPOOL FROM F365:
👉 Liverpool wheels fall off for Arne Slot as Everton do a Man Utd in glorious Merseyside derby
👉 Arne Slot ‘raging’ as ex-PGMOL chief admits to Michael Oliver mistake in Merseyside derby
👉 ‘Out of order’ Liverpool star ‘overreacted’ to sh*thousery as Van Dijk hits out at Michael Oliver