Liverpool were unable to increase their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points on Wednesday night.
That was the opportunity the Reds had heading into the latest Merseyside Derby with Everton, however, a 98th-minute equaliser from James Tarkowski would see the three points snatched away from Arne Slot’s men.
The result still leaves Liverpool in a strong position with 14 games remaining in the 2024/25 campaign as the Merseyside club need to drop points in three games between now and the end of the season.
Liverpool are still in contention for a treble this season and squad rotation will be crucial to the Reds’ success between now and the end of the season.
That backfired at the weekend when Slot rested several players for their FA Cup tie with Plymouth, but that is a decision Steve Nicol agrees with despite dropping points against Everton.
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Steve Nicol thinks Liverpool could have lost to Everton
Many will now view Slot’s decision to rest players for the Plymouth clash as pointless seeing as the Reds didn’t pick up all three points against Everton.
Nicol was not happy with the performance of Federico Chiesa at the weekend but understands that players need minutes and still agrees with Slot’s decision to play the fringe stars ahead of the Merseyside Derby.
“I’m still alright with it. They needed the rest at the weekend,” Nicol said on ESPN FC. “They couldn’t have ended up with three [points], the last kick of the game, they lose two points.
“At the end of the day, they may have lost the game had they all played on Sunday. I think he made the right decision [Arne Slot] and it’s seven points, it is not as great as nine, but it is seven points.”
The result at Everton will feel like a defeat to the Liverpool squad given they were so close to victory, however, they did increase their lead at the top of the Premier League.
There is still a long way to go in the title race and with many tough fixtures ahead of both the Reds and Arsenal, a point at Goodison Park may become a good one at the end of the season.
How Liverpool and Arsenal shape up in the Premier League title race
With 14 games to go, Liverpool currently lead Arsenal in the hunt for the Premier League by seven points following the Reds’ draw with Everton.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 24 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 58 | 23 | 35 | 57 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal | 24 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 49 | 22 | 27 | 50 |
| 3 |  Nottm ForestNottingham Forest | 24 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 40 | 27 | 13 | 47 |
| 4 |  ChelseaChelsea | 24 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 47 | 31 | 16 | 43 |
Liverpool have some crucial fixtures on the horizon with the Merseyside club set to face Wolves, Aston Villa, Man City and Newcastle in their next four matches.
Arsenal will come up against Leicester, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Man United, games that are all deemed winnable for the Gunners.
This block of fixtures could play a big role in deciding who wins the Premier League but in the long run, keeping key players fit will be crucial.
Arsenal will be without Kai Havertz for the rest of the season and this is the type of setback Slot is trying to avoid when he decided to rest his main stars against Plymouth.
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