Former Premier League referee and ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett believes Michael Oliver did his best to keep control of a “testing” Merseyside derby but ultimately made a crucial error in awarding Everton the free-kick that led to their opening goal – one that ultimately denied Liverpool a monumental victory in their quest for a record-equalling 20th league title.
Beto put the Toffees ahead inside 11 minutes, but Liverpool responded through Alexis Mac Allister, who converted a tantalising Mohamed Salah cross, before the Egyptian himself struck at the back post to put the Reds in command of a game they had struggled to impose themselves on for much of the night in the 73rd minute.
However, with three minutes beyond the allotted stoppage time already played, James Tarkowski unleashed a thunderous volley to snatch a 2-2 draw in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
The post-match scenes were anything but controlled, as tensions boiled over and four red cards were shown – to Curtis Jones, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Arne Slot, and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff. In the aftermath, much of the discussion has sadly centered on Oliver’s officiating, and now a former PGMOL chief has weighed in on several contentious decisions.
Former PGMOL Chief Casts Verdict on Merseyside Derby Officiating
Wednesday night’s derby will be remembered for years to come – but whether for the right reasons is up for debate. Among the questionable decisions made by Oliver, which raise concerns about his ability to officiate at the highest level, were his reluctance to show Conor Bradley a second yellow card, his failure to award Everton a penalty for Ibrahima Konate’s handball, and his willingness to blow for 20 fouls in the home side’s favour.
Beyond that, he appeared to send off Arne Slot over little more than a tense handshake, while both of Everton’s goals carried an element of controversy regarding their legitimacy. Despite these talking points, Hackett – who has experience officiating Merseyside derbies – largely felt that Oliver managed the game well. He told Football Insider in an exclusive interview:
“Having had the pleasure of refereeing Merseyside derby games, the passion and the temperature fluctuates and when officiating you have to maintain control. It is always a testing game and Michael Oliver worked hard to maintain control.”
Everton’s Opener ‘Should Not Have Stood’
There’s a certain poetic symmetry in David Moyes’ return to Goodison Park 12 years later, delivering one of the defining moments of his career in the closing stages of a stadium so cherished by the blue half of Merseyside. The result could still prove pivotal – not only in helping Everton secure their Premier League status ahead of their move to Bramley Moore but also in dealing a fatal blow to their noisy neighbors’ pursuit of a 20th league title.
However, according to Hackett, the unbridled celebrations in the Gwladys Street End might never have happened if not for Oliver’s error in awarding Everton a free-kick in the buildup to Beto’s opener. That set-piece was awarded after Iliman Ndiaye went down theatrically under a challenge from Konate midway inside the Liverpool half. Replays, though, showed that there was little if no contact from the centre-back on the Everton forward. Hackett said, as per Football Insider:
“Liverpool were on the wrong end of a poor decision by Michael Oliver to award Everton a free kick which led to their first goal. There was no foul. Oliver got it wrong.”
Both sides of Stanley Park may feel aggrieved after the midweek drama, but from Liverpool’s perspective, the focus must now shift to restoring composure and keeping sight of the bigger picture. They still sit atop the Premier League with a seven-point cushion and have suffered just one league defeat all season. While Everton may have disrupted their momentum, the Reds remain in control of the title race ahead of Arsenal and must let their performances do the talking.
Up next, they host Wolves at Anfield on Sunday afternoon under the leadership of John Heitinga. After that, season-defining trips to Aston Villa and Manchester City await, before rounding off a relentless February with a home clash against Newcastle United.
