Liverpool legend John Aldridge believes his former club could have shown more tactical awareness during the Merseyside derby, a match that has since seen both Liverpool and Everton charged by the FA.
Arne Slot was sent off during the game and is awaiting the outcome of a tribunal to determine his punishment. Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucoure both received second yellow cards for their involvement in a post-match altercation and served one-match suspensions last weekend.
Aldridge criticized Doucoure’s behavior while suggesting Liverpool could have been more streetwise to secure the win. James Tarkowski’s last-gasp goal denied the Reds victory, earning Everton a dramatic point.
“Doucoure was inciting a riot after the Merseyside derby,” Aldridge wrote in his Liverpool ECHO column. “You can’t do that to the away fans after the game. Especially after a derby and the last derby at Goodison. You’re inciting a riot by doing it.
“Consider the feelings and emotions between the fans. And Liverpool fans are so emotive, and so far Everton fans — because we’re from Liverpool. We’re emotional people. We get wrapped up in it and we get caught up in it.
“Everton deserved the result, though it was hard to take from a Liverpool point of view. But you can’t do that to the away supporters who are gutted about what has happened.
“Curtis has reacted to it. OK, maybe he shouldn’t have barged him but he’s only young. And he’s a Scouser, so Doucoure was inciting him as well. He should not have done it, Doucoure, he should know better.”
Liverpool had been leading by a goal heading into stoppage time, but Tarkowski’s late strike cost them the chance to extend their lead in the Premier League title race. A win against Aston Villa today would see Slot’s side move 10 points clear of Arsenal.
“We were too honest against Everton at times,” Aldridge continued. “Iliman Ndiaye dived twice to get advantageous cards for Everton but Cody Gakpo, when he was pulled back, stayed up. I praise him for staying up, but if it had been any other player, they would have gone down and got the man sent off.
“There was also Ibrahima Konate and a slight push. Do I think it was a penalty? Not really, but he could have made it look like a penalty. People on other teams would have done it. So I think we were a little naive in the Everton game.
“Not that I want them to do it. I applaud them for their honesty. But at the same time, I’m a cynical man and have seen Man City over the years when they’ve been winning titles, and Arsenal too when challenging them to a degree.”
