David Moyes gives brutally honest reaction to Abdoulaye Dououre's Everton red card against Liverpool
Four red cards were issued after Everton’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
David Moyes has given his reaction to Everton’s 2-2 Merseyside derby draw against Liverpool.
The final meeting between the bitter foes at Goodison Park was action-packed and the the Toffees deserved a share of the spoils. James Tarkowski came up with the equaliser when firing home in the seventh minute of stoppage-time.
A melee ensued after the final whistle, with Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure celebrating in front of the visiting Liverpool fans - and was grabbed by Reds midfielder Curtis Jones. Doucoure and Jones were both issued second yellow cards and sent off. It means Doucoure will have to serve a one-match suspension against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
And while Moyes relished the ‘mental’ game, he was disappointed that Doucoure lost his discipline. The Everton manager told TNT Sport (via BBC Sport): "Mental probably sums it up. A brilliant finish for us, to finish the last Goodison Merseyside derby and score in the last minute is in a way fitting.
"We would have liked to have won the game but at 2-1 down I was just thinking that we probably weren't going to get back in, it just looked like Liverpool would keep us out. We worked hard, kept at it, probably had more attempts in the second half than the first. Tarky had the quality which was the one that really mattered.
"It was right up there and it was great at the end. I think the night was maybe made for something to happen. It wasn't the greatest, it wasn't the cleanest game of football you've ever watched but it was a bit of a throwback, a bit scrappy for both sides. We had to find a way of making the gap not so big tonight and did a good job of it.
"I'm disappointed with Doucoure because we need him, we're down on numbers at the moment. We've got to be careful what we do. Discipline is never easy sometimes in these games and tonight was a game where quite easily sending offs happen."
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and assistant boss Sipke Hulshoff were also issued red cards after the fracas. A Premier League statement said: “The referee issued second yellow cards and red cards to Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucouré following an altercation after the final whistle Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were also shown straight red cards after the final whistle.”