Jurgen Klopp reacts to Wednesday night's damaging Merseyside derby defeat to Everton at Goodison Park

Jurgen Klopp reacts to Wednesday night's damaging Merseyside derby defeat to Everton at Goodison Park

Latest Liverpool injury news after Wednesday's disappointing defeat to Everton in the Premier League

Latest Liverpool injury news after Wednesday's disappointing defeat to Everton in the Premier League

Analysis from Ian Doyle after Liverpool's clash with Everton in the Premier League

Jurgen Klopp held his hands up after he suffered his first defeat at Goodison Park as Liverpool manager in what will be his last Merseyside derby

Analysis from Ian Doyle after Liverpool's clash with Everton in the Premier League

Jurgen Klopp held his hands up after he suffered his first defeat at Goodison Park as Liverpool manager in what will be his last Merseyside derby

Jurgen Klopp made five substitutions in Liverpool's 2-0 derby defeat at Everton but his forwards remained on the pitch despite seeing their struggles continues

Jurgen Klopp made five substitutions in Liverpool's 2-0 derby defeat at Everton but his forwards remained on the pitch despite seeing their struggles continues

Latest Liverpool news and gossip as Jamie Carragher offers his verdicts on Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez after the Reds lost to Everton in the Premier League clash at Goodison Park

Latest Liverpool news and gossip as Jamie Carragher offers his verdicts on Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez after the Reds lost to Everton in the Premier League clash at Goodison Park

Jurgen Klopp apologised to Liverpool fans after their chastening derby defeat to Everton as he admitted his team need a “crisis” at Arsenal and Manchester City to have any hope of winning the title. Liverpool were beaten at Goodison Park for the first time in nearly 14 years as Jarrad...

Liverpool's Premier League title hopes are in tatters after a disastrous 2-0 Merseyside Derby defeat to Everton at Goodison Park

Liverpool's Premier League title hopes are in tatters after a disastrous 2-0 Merseyside Derby defeat to Everton at Goodison Park

Derby day verdict from Goodison Park as Liverpool lose 2-0 to leave their Premier League title hopes all but over

Derby day verdict from Goodison Park as Liverpool lose 2-0 to leave their Premier League title hopes all but over

Virgil van Dijk has urged the Liverpool squad to “look in the mirror” after their 2-0 loss at Everton, asking his team-mates “did they really give everything?”

There were few, if any, who came away from Goodison Park with any credit; Luis Diaz, who endured a fruitless night on the left wing, was arguably the standout.

Defeat in Jurgen Klopp‘s final Merseyside derby should serve as the death knell for Liverpool’s title hopes – and it should be stressed that top four is not yet guaranteed.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Van Dijk turned the spotlight on the players themselves, urging them to “look in the mirror.”

“Very disappointed, in so many ways,” the captain, who struggled throughout, began.

"We weren't good enough."

A 'very disappointed' Virgil van Dijk reacts to Liverpool's 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park ? pic.twitter.com/g4IcvfJGsY

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 24, 2024

“I think everyone has to look in the mirror, look at their own performance [and ask] did they really give everything? Do they really want to win the league?

“Obviously we’re fighting and we still have games after tonight.

“But if we play like we did overall in the game like today, not winning challenges and giving the ref an opportunity to give a free-kick, like he did many times, then we have no chance to win the title.

“It’s a tough one. Obviously we have to be much better against a side that’s playing against relegation.

“Now it’s time to focus on the 12.30pm kickoff again.”

When it was put to Van Dijk that Liverpool looked like they had simply run out of ideas, the Dutchman seemed to agree.

“You try to force things. I think we gave too many crosses where they could just clear it quite easily,” he replied.

“I still think we had, in the first half, clear-cut chances that we should have scored.

“But eventually, we weren’t good enough. We all have to do much better.

“We can’t let the season go out like tonight – and the first half against Crystal Palace especially, that was also very disappointing.

“We have to do much better, in every sense, it’s a tough one.”

Adblock test (Why?)

After Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat to Everton many fans were left baffled as Jayden Danns went unused, but Jurgen Klopp has explained why he did not bring him on.

The Reds were toothless up front again on Wednesday night, with Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez particularly poor as they failed to convert big chances.

Throughout the 90-plus minutes at Goodison Park, one of Liverpool’s most natural finishers – a youngster who has been in sensational form all season – was left unused.

Danns spent the night watching on, with Salah, Nunez and Luis Diaz playing the full game, much to the frustration of supporters.

But in his post-match press conference, Klopp explained his decision not to use Danns, who in the manager’s defence had clocked 75 minutes in Liverpool U21s’ 2-1 loss at Sunderland only two nights previous.

[embedded content]

[embedded content]

“I know we had Dannsy on the bench, I know, but in that physical game, I didn’t want to [risk him],” Klopp said.

“And he played [on Monday], obviously we didn’t know that we’d have to bring him in.

“The two situations, with Diogo we only learned two days ago and Cody actually only really today.

“So now that’s not a game for an 18-year-old boy. Tarkowski and Branthwaite kill you in these situations and that doesn’t help.”

While Diogo Jota picked up a knock in the 3-1 win at Fulham on Sunday, scans on his hip were not clear until the following day, while Cody Gakpo left the squad at the last minute to support his partner during labour.

That forced a late reshuffle of the ranks with both Danns and Bobby Clark brought onto the bench having played on Monday.

Still, the assertion that Tarkowski and Branthwaite would “kill” Danns is a questionable one, given how laughably Salah and Nunez performed.

Would Danns have fared any worse at a time when Liverpool really needed to roll the dice in the hopes of a comeback?

Adblock test (Why?)

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk questioned whether his teammates “really want to win the league” after their 2-0 defeat to Everton on Wednesday night left their Premier League title hopes hanging in the balance. Goals either side of half-time from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic...