Steve McManaman suggests Liverpool did something the absolute opposite of what Arne Slot wanted vs Everton

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Merseyside Derbies have always been feisty affairs.

Wednesday night saw Liverpool travel to Goodison Park for the final time knowing that a win over Everton would put them nine points clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.

The game was always going to be an emotional occasion for Everton fans given the situation with their stadium and fans of the Toffees knew their team would need their help to get a result.

David Moyes admitted the gap between Liverpool and Everton is large at present, therefore, Arne Slot would have expected a physical contest at Goodison Park.

Slot warned his Liverpool team of this during his pre-match press conference and it was an instruction the Reds ignored.

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Liverpool ignore Arne Slot’s warning with Everton display

There were 16 fouls in the first half of Liverpool’s clash with Everton – six by the Toffees and 10 by the Reds. It was the most in the first half of a Premier League Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park since September 2008 (23).

This goes against everything Slot warned before the match as the Dutch coach asked for his players to keep a “cool head”.

“A cool head will be important, but not cool legs,” Slot said during his press conference on Tuesday. “Every time we play a team who wants to fight against us, we have to be ready. Run as much, be as intense in tackles and be cool enough to play a good and firm tackle.”

In addition to the fouls, Andy Robertson and Conor Bradley picked up silly yellow cards, while Alexis Mac Allister was lucky to not enter the referee’s book.

Steve McManaman was not happy with Liverpool’s first-half display as the former Reds star would echo what Slot was likely saying in the away dressing room at the break.

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Steve McManaman critical of Liverpool’s first-half display against Everton

Having witnessed Liverpool being drawn into a fight against Everton at Goodison Park, McManaman was frustrated with the ‘chaotic’ nature of the contest as it stopped the quality of Slot’s team shining through.

Speaking at halftime on TNT Sports via the BBC, the former Liverpool star said: ‘The game has been very, very chaotic. There haven’t been many chances or good passages of play really.

‘It has been fight, fight, fight, yellow card. And repeat. You are waiting for the game to slow down. At the moment it suits Everton.’

The situation did not change in the second half and having specifically warned his team about this potential scenario pre-match, Slot would not have been happy with his team after the full-time whistle, despite the result.