Liverpool’s Thrashing of Everton Shows Squad Strength and Improving Consistency

Liverpool cruised to the most comfortable of Merseyside derby victories on Wednesday, beating rivals Everton 4-0 at Anfield thanks to goals from Divock Origi, Mamadou Sakho, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho.

In truth, the scoreline was kind on the visitors from across Stanley Park, who conceded a whopping 37 attempts on goal, with 13 on target. Roberto Martinez’s side mustered just three efforts on goal, with none on target throughout the 90-plus minutes (stats via BBC Sport).

Liverpool’s domination in the game was secured with the dismissal of Everton defender Ramiro Funes Mori minutes into the second half, with the Reds already 2-0 up thanks to headers from Origi and Sakho just before the interval.

It was a disgusting challenge from Funes Mori, and one that leaves Origi’s season in doubt. The Belgian forward escaped without a broken ankle, but Liverpool must wait to find out whether there has been ligament damage, which would almost certainly rule him out for the rest of the campaign and make him a doubt for Euro 2016.

Funes Mori left the pitch defiantly grabbing the Everton badge on his shirt, acting more like Everton hero Duncan Ferguson than a player who has been at the club less than a year, won nothing and just left his side down to 10 men when already 2-0 down in a derby.

Prior to the match, Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp had spoken of his own players using “legal aggressiveness.” “A red card can happen if you are a second too late but not because you want to show ‘I am the man’,” he said, per Press Association (via This Is Anfield).

After the match, Klopp admitted that Origi’s injury had cast a “big shadow on the game.”

With the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg in Villarreal next week, Klopp could do with the news on Origi’s injury being positive, especially with first-choice midfield duo Emre Can and Jordan Henderson ruled out in recent weeks.

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