Liverpool hero Danny Murphy was full of praise for Michael Keane, Ben Godfrey and the ‘immaculate’ Jordan Pickford after Everton’s first victory at Anfield since 1999, while speaking on Match of the Day (20 February, 10.30pm).
Times change quickly in football.
Just three days earlier, Keane and Pickford were sharing the blame after Bernardo Silva’s strike killed off Everton’s hopes of a rare home win against a rampant Manchester City side.
But, at the home of their arch rivals, a pair of England internationals produced arguably their finest performances of the season, consigning Liverpool to a fourth successive defeat on their Anfield soil in 98 years.
Keane, alongside Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate, was imperious at the heart of Carlo Ancelotti’s Catenaccio-inspired backline, while the much-maligned Pickford made a series of superb, reflex stops – including a brilliant fingertip save to keep out a Jordan Henderson volley.
“They were superb,” said Murphy, putting his allegiances to one side at full-time.
“They played three at the back, they changed – a good decision from Ancelotti. He put Keane in the middle of Godfrey and Holgate and it worked well for them.
“Yes, they got an early goal, a lift, something to hang on to, but their positional play, the athleticism of them, the wisdom of Keane guiding them at times, being the one who was talking to them, communicating with them, matching runs which you have to do against Liverpool because Salah and Mane are always trying to get in behind.
“Pickford was immaculate today, he had a really good game. (Everton were) really well organised.”
A first win at Liverpool in over two decades means Everton are level on points with their neighbours in the Premier League table. They can move three clear too, should they win their game in hand.
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