Everton
Credit: Sky Sports YouTube channel
Parth Jhaveri
Thu 3 April 2025 8:40, UK
Gary Neville was disgruntled at what he saw in the build-up to Liverpool’s goal against Everton and insisted that the goal should not have stood.
Everton’s nine-game unbeaten streak under David Moyes came to an end as the Toffees lost 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield on 2 April.
Diogo Jota scored the only goal of the game in the second half as Everton remain 15th in the Premier League table, but the gap to the drop zone has reduced to 14 points.
Neville shared his discontent over Jota’s controversial goal and pointed out why it should have been disallowed.
Moyes still has an impeccable record in his second stint as Everton boss (Credit: Imago)
Jota goal lucky to stand v Everton
Liverpool were pushing to find a goal and it duly arrived in the 57th minute through Jota. However, the cause of controversy was Luis Diaz being offside in the build-up to the goal.
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Ryan Gravenberch played a pass to Diaz, who was offside, and in order to cut the pass off, Everton centre-back James Tarkowski had to stretch and intervene.
His intervention allowed Jota to collect the loose ball and play a one-two with Diaz before slotting the ball past Pickford.
The goal stood but Neville has argued that despite what the rules suggest, the goal should have been ruled out for offside.
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Speaking on the Gary Neville podcast on Sky Sports (2 April, 11m 20s), he said: “The one I do want to talk about is, when Diaz was offside on the build-up to the Jota goal.
“The ball gets played down the channel to him and Tarkowski goes to intercept and stretch for it because Diaz is there. I don’t like that one.
“I am gonna whinge about that as a defender, you push up, and you have played your man as offside. Tarkowski has to go across and play it and stop it.
“To score from that, I think it is a definite offside and I know its not in the rules but for me that is a definite offside. I don’t like it.”
Everton still in control
While Neville is right to point out the Diaz offside, the reality is that the goal would stand as the rules allow it. With that, Moyes lost his second game in the Premier League as Everton manager in his second stint.
Despite the Merseyside derby loss, the Toffees are in a comfortable position to ensure Premier League safety for next season.
Although they are yet to be safe mathematically, the Scotsman has done enough to ensure Everton can breathe easily.
With eight games to go, Everton are 14 points clear of the drop zone, but the fans are confident that Moyes will guide them to safety despite a tricky run of fixtures ahead.
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