Everton 0 Liverpool 0
Liverpool were held to a goalless draw by Everton in the Merseyside derby yesterday, a result that leaves the Reds trailing Premier League leaders Manchester City by one point.
It was a dreadful derby match and three of the past five league meetings between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park have now failed to produce a goal.
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In a game of precious few chances, the best fell to Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah in the first half but he was denied by a fine save from Jordan Pickford.
Worryingly for Liverpool, it was their third time in their last four matches that they have failed to find the net.
“We have to take the situation as it is,” reflected Jurgen Klopp. “It is OK, a difficult game for different reasons and a wild opponent. The wind was coming from all directions and did not help anybody.”
‘Not PlayStation’
Blaming the British weather for dropped points is becoming a habit for the Liverpool manager - in January it was the snow that was responsible for their 1-1 draw at home to Leicester City - but it’s another sign that the tension within Anfield is growing.
Klopp bridled at a suggestion in the post-match press conference that he should have been bolder in his second-half substitutions by bringing on Xherdan Shaqiri or Naby Keïta.
“You think it’s PlayStation, bring an extra attacker and football changes. It’s not like that,” he snapped.
“You cannot play in the Premier League like that. We play next week Burnley, if we play only offensive they kill us in the counter-attack, 100%.
“We take all the risks, but you cannot take more than 100% risk, going nuts. It’s not about that.”
Fulham 1 Chelsea 2
Chelsea moved to within a point of fifth-placed Arsenal with a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage against SW6 rivals Fulham.
It was the Blues’ first Premier League away win of 2019 and a result that leaves them two points shy of Manchester United, who are fourth.
Gonzalo Higuain set the Stamford Bridge side on their way on 20 minutes and although Calum Chambers soon levelled for Fulham, Jorginho re-established Chelsea’s lead on 31 minutes.
“We played very well only for 60 minutes [and] could have killed the match,” said Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri.
“We were not able to so in the last 20 or 25 minutes and we were in trouble because we were very tired mentally and physically… but I am really very happy with the performance for 60 minutes, and the result.”
Fulham, who sacked Claudio Ranieri last week, remain second from bottom and ten points adrift from safety.
“The most important thing was we showed character,” said caretaker boss Scott Parker. “This is the way Fulham play and the way I want my team to play.”
Watford 2 Leicester City 1
Brendan Rodgers’s first match back on his return to the Premier League ended in a last-gasp defeat for his new Leicester City side away at Watford.
The Hornets had taken an early lead through Troy Deeney only for Leicester striker Jamie Vardy to level 15 minutes from time. But substitute Andre Gray won the match for Watford with the winner three minutes into stoppage time.
“We’re obviously disappointed to lose the game late on, but there are good signs,” said Rodgers, who left Celtic last Monday to replace the sacked Claude Puel. “We’ll keep getting better and do some more hard work next week.”
Asked for his initial impression of a Leicester side who lie 11th in the table, Rodgers replied: “There’s a really strong spirit in the team. I’m disappointed for them that they never got the reward because, at least, we should have had a point, but that will come.
“There will be many more good days for us and we’ll build on that.”
Premier League results
- Tottenham Hotspur 1 Arsenal 1
- AFC Bournemouth 0 Manchester City 1
- Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Huddersfield Town 0
- Burnley 1 Crystal Palace 3
- Manchester United 3 Southampton 2
- Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Cardiff City 0
- West Ham United 2 Newcastle United 0
- Watford 2 Leicester City 1
- Fulham 1 Chelsea 2
- Everton 0 Liverpool 0
Premier League fixtures
Saturday 9 March (3pm unless stated)
- Crystal Palace vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (12.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
- Cardiff City vs. West Ham United
- Huddersfield Town vs. AFC Bournemouth
- Leicester City vs. Fulham
- Newcastle United vs. Everton
- Southampton vs. Tottenham Hotspur
- Manchester City vs. Watford (5.30pm, live on BT Sport)
Sunday 10 March
- Liverpool vs. Burnley (12pm, live on BT Sport)
- Chelsea vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (2.05pm, live on Sky Sports)
- Arsenal vs. Manchester United (4.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
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