Despite Liverpool’s recent dominance in the Merseyside Derby, Jurgen Klopp’s record at Goodison Park leaves a lot to be desired. On Wednesday night, that must all change for the German. Yes, he is yet to lose a derby at the historic Merseyside ground. But the hoodoo that has haunted him here in the past has proved costly for his side.
With so much on the line this week, he cannot afford to drop more points against their neighbors across Stanley Park. All things considered, this is a very tricky fixture for the Reds and perhaps not one that the outgoing manager would have wanted at this stage in the season, with a title chase also on the line.
Liverpool travel to Goodison Park for a match that may have huge implications in the title race. Klopp (right) has seen his side draw five times against the Blues at Goodison since taking over. A victory tonight could further allay their fears of yet another fight for survival, but the ramifications that it could jeopardize the title hopes of their arch-rivals would perhaps make sealing victory a little sweeter for the Toffees.
Klopp knows this full well. The outgoing manager has struggled to win points here over the years and admitted that this fixture is one he won’t miss when he leaves this summer. Since joining in 2015, Klopp has won twice at Goodison, but interestingly has seen his side draw to Everton on five occasions at the historic old ground. It is a far cry from Liverpool’s dominance at home, with the Reds having won nine of their previous fixtures at Anfield while losing only once to a Carlo Ancelotti-led Everton side back in 2021.
Tonight, there is too much riding on this match for the Reds to be haunted by their Goodison woes once again.
‘Around the derby is just pressure’, the German told a press conference on Tuesday. ‘The pressure is higher, so why should the joy be higher? You win it, great, but why should I miss the pressure around it? This time, when you’re really playing for something, that’s the pressure.
‘But when you are both not in a great moment, it’s the one game you have to win, definitely. That kind of pressure – why would I miss that? It’s not enjoyable.’
Football often goes out of the window in this fixture, which for 90 minutes divides families, friendships, and an entire city. Derbies of years gone by have been decided on who wants it more – having descended into blood and thunder contests with seismic challenges, red cards, and on-field spats.
In the crunch end of the season, we can expect Arsenal and Man City to show no let-up in their bid to win the Premier League, which is why a win tonight for Liverpool is so important. Klopp’s side must want to win more than Everton.
Their goalless draw at Goodison during the final three months of the 2018-19 campaign springs to mind ahead of the match. Having lost just once during the season to Man City, Liverpool had taken a commanding lead at the top of the Premier League table. They had stayed there for 13 consecutive match weeks, before dropping points to Everton at Goodison Park – conceding the title race to City.
It was a tense affair, that saw Everton battle hard to hold Liverpool to a draw. They frustrated Klopp’s side who were the more threatening side, but failed to convert their chances. Mohamed Salah notably came up short of his best, lacking some of the precision and ruthlessness in front of goal he has shown throughout his spell at Anfield.
Concerningly for the Reds, Wednesday’s match comes at a time where they have again lacked that cutting edge. Prior to their 3-1 victory against Fulham, Liverpool had endured somewhat of a goal drought, having not scored from open play in over six hours. They were seemingly inspired to victory on Sunday thanks to a vintage performance from Trent Alexander-Arnold, a native to the city, who knows all too well what is riding on Wednesday’s fixture, in terms of the title race and bragging rights over his club’s rivals.
Their woes in finding the back of the net have also hindered them in several other visits to the cauldron that is Goodison Park. Despite going on to win the title after a largely dominant season, Liverpool could still not arrest a win off their rivals away from home during the 2019-2020 season – again failing to score.
That day Alisson was the hero – stopping a close-range strike from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while Tom Davies struck the woodwork. But Klopp’s woes away to Everton extend to more than just dropping points. The following season, Calvert-Lewin would return to help Everton seal a 2-2 draw against the Reds.
During that game, Liverpool would lose their star defender Virgil van Dijk for the remainder of the season, after Jordan Pickford’s challenge on the center back.
Only this season has Van Dijk appeared to return to a semblance of his form prior to his ACL rupture – and has enjoyed an excellent 2023-24 campaign.
One thing Klopp can take solace in is that he is not the only Liverpool manager to struggle at Everton. Brendan Rodgers’ record attests to that. Liverpool has drawn 13 times at Goodison Park in the Premier League era – the most against any other club away from home, barring Man City. Rodgers would oversee four draws away to the Toffees during his time as Liverpool boss.
Considering the ferocious atmosphere the fans inside this rickety old stadium generate for this fixture – it’s no wonder why Liverpool has struggled. Goodison is a tough place to come for any side, but when Liverpool arrives, the stadium descends into a bear pit.
‘They are always difficult games, especially there,’ Klopp said on the Merseyside derby. ‘At home it was – I am not sure if comfortable is the right way to say it – but more [comfortable] at least.’
Klopp added: ‘It is not too important what we had in the past. This is a super-important game for us, so whatever we did in the past is not too important for this game. We just should give it a proper try there and that’s what we will do.’
Klopp is right. Liverpool must forget the troubles they have endured at this stadium in the past. They must also block out any thoughts on their more recent struggles in front of goal and set aside the emotion that comes with this fixture.
The German will have learned a lot from his previous experiences in this iconic game over the years. But in his last visit to Everton, he certainly has his work cut out to exorcise his ghosts of Goodison past.
