Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk says that referee Michael Oliver ‘did not have control of the game’ after a chaotic end to the Merseyside derby saw manager Arne Slot shown a red card after the final whistle at Goodison Park.
James Tarkowski scored an equaliser late in stoppage time to rescue a point for the hosts which encouraged Abdoulaye Doucoure to celebrate in front of the visiting Liverpool fans.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones was riled up by Doucoure’s actions and shoved the Everton midfielder kicking off a heated melee after the final whistle.
Players from both teams delved into a shoving contest as fans and security personnel flooded the pitch with the likes of Van Dijk attempting to bring control to the players and force them off the pitch.
Referee Michael Oliver booked Jones and Doucoure who were both already on yellow cards. Those were upgraded to reds before Oliver showed a third red card to Liverpool boss Slot.
Slot was incensed over Tarkowski’s goal believing their to have been a foul in the build-up and he voiced his displeasure to the match officials as the post-match carnage was in full force. His assistant Sipke Hulshoff was also sent off after the game.
Van Dijk gave his thoughts to TNT Sports following the carnage and explained that both teams will have to deal with the ramifications of the post-match clash. He said: “We saw how they celebrated the goal, they have all the right to.
“I think Abdoulaye Doucoure wanted to provoke our fans, I think that is what I saw and Curtis Jones didn’t think it was the right thing to do. And then you know what happens if there is a little tussle.
“I didn’t think the referee had the game under control. Both teams had to deal with it.”
TNT Sports pundit and former Everton captain Phil Jagielka empathised with the Liverpool boss but admitted his lack of composure had let him down.
Jagielka said: “You can see why Arne Slot was furious. There was a slight little nudge in the box and if that was my team I would be appealing. I would be getting sent off after the game too.
“Slot always talks about staying composed but it seems like he lost a bit of his composure at the end there. That’s what a derby does to you.”
Slot’s red card meant he was unable to speak to the media after the match but Everton manager David Moyes spoke about the incident saying: “I didn’t see it from where I was. I have had a chance to see it and I’m disappointed because Doucoure played really well tonight and I’m going to now lose him because he’s got a second yellow card which turned into a red.
“The emotions were running high here all night, the stadium was at fever pitch. You could see what it meant to supporters at the end of the game, the crowd was rocking. It was one of the big nights.
“I’m disappointed with Doucoure because we need him, we’re down on numbers at the moment. We’ve got to be careful what we do. Discipline is never easy sometimes in these games and tonight was a game where quite easily sending offs happen.”
