- Jake O’Brien has featured regularly this season at right-back for Everton.
- Everton conceded a 100th-minute winner to go down 1-2 against Liverpool.
- European hopes are still alive, though, for the Toffees with five games to go.
The first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium promised drama, and it delivered but not in the way Everton had hoped. For 90 minutes, David Moyes’ side went toe‑to‑toe with the reigning champions. They responded to Mohamed Salah’s opener with a Beto equaliser, had an Iliman Ndiaye goal ruled out for offside, and looked the more likely winner.
Then came the 100th minute. Virgil van Dijk rose above James Tarkowski to nod home a corner and snatch all three points for Liverpool.
The final whistle left a hollow feeling. Everton had been the better team for long spells. Beto’s goal was his fifth in six matches, continuing his remarkable resurgence. But football does not always reward the deserving.
O’Brien: ‘We were the better team on the day’
Jake O’Brien spoke to Sky Sports after the final whistle, his frustration clear. The defender, who has been a regular at right‑back this season, could not hide his disappointment.
“Lost for words really, I thought we played well for the majority of the game and had the better chances,” O’Brien said. “Then let ourselves down with a poor goal at the end. It’s not a result that reflects the game, I don’t think.”
The Irishman acknowledged the magnitude of the occasion but insisted Everton stayed composed throughout. “Coming into a game like this is huge. Moments in a game can go for or against you but we stayed in it. Moments can be capitalised on and they scored a goal at the end that was really poor.”
He was adamant about his side’s performance. “I think we played well and the atmosphere was really good. It was a small moment that let us down, I think we were the better team on the day.”
European hopes still alive despite cruel blow
The defeat leaves Everton in tenth place, but the race for Europe remains tight. The Toffees are only one point behind sixth‑placed Chelsea, with five games still to play. O’Brien refused to let the result derail the season’s momentum.
“There are still a few games to go and we’re right in it. The table is very tight.”
Moyes’ side have shown resilience all season. They came from behind twice at Brentford to snatch a point. They have beaten Chelsea, Newcastle and Burnley in recent months. One cruel defeat, even in the 100th minute, does not define a campaign.
The first derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium will be remembered for Van Dijk’s late header. But it should also be remembered for Everton’s performance. They proved they belong in the conversation with the league’s best. If they carry that spirit into their remaining fixtures, European football is still well within reach.
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