Joe Thomas reports from Goodison Park as Everton played out a 1-1 draw with their Liverpool Under-21s counterparts in the big Premier League 2 opener
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - JULY 28: Braiden Graham of Everton during the pre-season friendly match between Stoke City and Everton at Bet365 Stadium on July 28, 2026 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Braiden Graham saw red as Everton and Liverpool played out a 1-1 Premier League 2 draw at Goodison Park(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Everton starlet Braiden Graham was sent off in a fiery end to the Under-21s Merseyside derby.
The teenager shoved Joe Upton to ground as he reacted angrily to being challenged while in the air by the Liverpool midfielder, who was penalised for the foul.
Upton ended the game having every touch booed by the home crowd after escaping with a yellow card for his part in the scuffle.
It came as an ill-tempered game ended level, with both sides having a player sent off.
Everton piled on the pressure in the final minutes and looked most likely to find a late winner. They were controversially denied that when referee Stephen Parkinson blew for a foul on Graham on the edge of the area - just as Rocco Lambert was connecting with a sweet strike that ended in the back of the net.
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Graham and second-half substitute Justin Clarke menaced the Liverpool backline late on, Clarke stabbing a Graham cross wide moments after the pair combined for the move that saw Harvey Davies sent off.
Clarke beat the Reds keeper to Graham’s through ball and the winger was felled outside his area by the onrushing Davies - who was replaced in goal by defender Talla Ndiaye, who then saved from Francis Gomez at the death to help his side avoid defeat.
The late drama ended what had been a tame second half, in which George Pickford’s excellent save from the returning Jayden Danns had been the key moment.
The teams had gone in level at the break after goals from Will Wright and then Jack Patterson.
The hosts had started the brightest and Cieran Loney had two one-on-ones saved by Davies, the first after a clever through ball by Joel Catesby and the second at the end of a counter sparked by a crunching challenge from Melvin Matos.
David Hughes’ side were made to pay for those missed chances when Wright slid in the opener after Liverpool broke down the left but an immediate response came when right-back George Finney - impressive with the first team in the early summer friendlies and comfortable back in academy football - picked out the near post run of midfielder Patterson, who got in front of his man and tucked in off the inside of the post.
The half calmed after the goals, though the Reds had the better chances and Josh Sonni-Lambie screwed a shot wide at the back post just before the break.
The half was instead characterised by the full-bloodied battle between Matos in the Everton 10 and Liverpool centre-back Wellity Lucky.
The pair exchanged several tough challenges in a half in which Matos, who signed professional with Everton last week, was impressive on the ball, particularly when drifting to the right.
That match-up calmed in the second half - when the chaos of the final minutes produced plenty of drama, but no winner for either side.