The footballing world was ablaze with heated reactions as the Toffees and Reds across Merseyside looked back on the weekend’s fiery and bitter 2-2 draw. The emotions surrounding the Merseyside derby remain just as raw as they were on Saturday.

Among the contested debate, one plea from an Evertonian phoning in to talkSPORT stood out.

Despite the feisty entertainment on display in the draw at Goodison Park, Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s reckless and endangering challenge on Virgil van Dijk overshadowed the fixture. However, the talkSPORT caller was quick to agree that Pickford deserved a red card for his challenge but called for a toning-down of the rhetoric surrounding the incident.

It has since been confirmed that van Dijk will need to undergo knee surgery following the last-ditch challenge, intensifying the strength of controversy and tension surrounding the match.

Controversy and tension are at least partially to be expected; they are integral components of any traditional footballing derby, and the latest contest between the Toffees and the Reds was no exception.

With the latest viral plea encouraging a de-escalation of the passionate and pugnacious comments surrounding Jordan Pickford, social media has been quick to react to the Toffee fan’s conciliatory comments…