Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk accused Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure of “provoking” the away fans at Goodison Park as a mass melee between the players brought a chaotic end to the Merseyside derby.
Doucoure celebrated James Tarkowski’s dramatic 97th minute equaliser in front of the Liverpool fans, which prompted a shove from Curtis Jones and a confrontation between the players that led to both of them sent off for second yellow cards.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot also saw red amid chaotic scenes at full-time, which brought a stunning end to the final Merseyside derby at Goodison and an emotional night for Everton as a whole.
But Van Dijk believed Doucoure went too far by celebrating in front of the Liverpool end and defended the reaction from Jones.
“We saw how they celebrated the goal, they have all the right to,” Van Dijk said to TNT Sports. “I think 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. This was their cup final. I think the referee had a big part in the game, in terms of certain challenges were given as fouls and similar weren’t.”
While commenting on the game for TNT Sports, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said he understood Jones’ reaction and thought Doucoure had “created a storm” by celebrating in the opposite corner.
“I’ve been there, [Mario] Balotelli at Wembley doing that to our [Manchester United] fans,” Ferdinand said on TNT Sports. “I was incensed and I can understand Curtis Jones.
“You don’t want to see anyone creating a storm like that but the feeling when you see someone go up to your fans, giving it to them.”
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.”
Liverpool manager 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.
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.”
