Everton showed toughness in Liverpool draw, says David Moyes
Sunday 3 March 2019 20:07, UK
David Moyes thinks Everton's "tough" performance against Liverpool should be a template for them going forward.
The Toffees produced a strong display to frustrate their Merseyside rivals and dent their Premier League title chances.
While Everton are still winless in their last 19 matches against Liverpool, former Toffees manager Moyes was impressed with their approach.
"I thought Everton did everything they had to do," he said on Sky Sports. "They kept their intensity up for most of the game and probably late on they had as many half chances as Liverpool did. They will be really pleased.
"The crowd have been sitting on their hands here for weeks, waiting for something like that, maybe it needed this type of game, obviously taking points off Liverpool meant a lot to them, but I thought the performance was good.
"They were energetic, they could have played better football at times, but overall against a really good team they did a good job.
"They tried to press Liverpool early and showed a big intensity which they haven't shown in their game. They didn't take many risks at the back and they decided to make it more ugly. Everton got their tactics right to get a result against Liverpool.
It feels to me that was the first time the crowd came alive under Marco Silva
"The big thing for me - and Jurgen Klopp said it at the end - was this was a tough game today. That was different from what people have been saying about Everton in a while. I think Liverpool came off the pitch saying this was a tough game."
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher thinks Everton need to continue to play "aggressive" football as they did in the derby.
"It feels to me that was the first time the crowd came alive under Marco Silva.
"Everton like aggressive football, I mean that in the nicest sense. You have to come here as an opposition player and think I don't want to play here. It's been too nice and too easy this season, today it felt like Everton and Goodison Park.
"It should always be a tough game for anyone who comes here. When I say aggressive football that means with the ball as well. I am not saying Everton should just lump it forward but it has to be a case of get it in the box, win the second ball, get the crowd going.
"It's a tight pitch so every time a player gets the ball they have to feel contact and that's what you saw today and haven't seen enough of this season."
