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Everton logo
Premier League | Gameweek 5
Oct 17, 2020 at 12.30pm UK
Goodison Park
Liverpool logo

Everton
2 - 2
Liverpool

Keane (19'), Calvert-Lewin (81')
Rodriguez (45'), Gomes (69'), Allan (84')
Richarlison (90')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Mane (3'), Salah (72')
Mane (67'), Fabinho (84')

Jurgen Klopp, Georginio Wijnaldum unhappy with Everton's approach in Merseyside derby

Jurgen Klopp, Georginio Wijnaldum unhappy with Everton's approach in Merseyside derby
© Reuters
Liverpool will be without Virgil Van Virgil van Dijk for several months and Thiago Alcantara for the short-term after fierce derby challenges.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum were united in their condemnation of the Everton tackles which sidelined Virgil Van Dijk for several months and ruled Thiago Alcantara out of their Champions League opener against Ajax.

Van Dijk's knee injury is a huge blow to their long-term hopes of defending the Premier League title and going deep in Europe again and the manner of his injury still rankles within the Reds squad.

His Holland team-mate Wijnaldum said Jordan Pickford's high challenge was "stupid" and that Everton "take it way too far in the games we play against them".

Jordan Pickford's challenge on Virgil Van Dijk has drawn widespread criticism
Jordan Pickford's challenge on Virgil Van Dijk has drawn widespread criticism (Laurence Griffiths/PA)

"We know it is a derby and everyone wants to win so sometimes you go a little bit over the top but it was too much," said the Dutchman.

"The tackle from Richarlison on Thiago was also a nasty one.

"Accidents can always happen in football, you can be unlucky with a tackle and injure someone but the way they were doing it is completely unacceptable."

Klopp said both challenges were "difficult to accept".

"Injuries happen in football, very often in challenges but often both players just try to play the ball," he said.

"That was not the case in these two challenges and it makes it so different and difficult to take."

Pundits have already started to write off Liverpool's season without Van Dijk but that has only angered Klopp more.

His mood was not helped by the fact he will have to pair midfielder Fabinho alongside Joe Gomez at centre-back as Joel Matip did not travel as a precaution after also sustaining a knock on Saturday.

"I am old enough. I know how the world is. I know what people do. A lot of people speak before they think," he said.

"We have a situation. We are here without Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip and we will still give it a try. What can we do now?

"People can say what they want, it is a free world, but three weeks ago, they said we would run away (with the league).

"Now, three weeks later, we are not even in contention for anything any more. That's football. That's the world right now. We cannot be that excited. We have to stay calm.

"Why should I think the boys cannot deal with the situation? But the number of questions you ask suggests you think we will all struggle with it.

"So we have to prove you wrong? I am not even interested in proving you wrong. I am only interested in the best for Liverpool and for my players.

"Hopefully the results in the next few weeks will calm you all slightly down but I cannot promise it."

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton112451017-710
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


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