The worst Merseyside derby losses for Liverpool have come when Everton have timed their blows perfectly.
Liverpool head to Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time on Sunday, and there is far more on the line than the usual bragging rights. Arne Slot’s side are fighting to protect their Champions League hopes, while Everton are still chasing a European place of their own.
The Toffees have not often had that kind of opportunity, making this first clash at their new home turf all the more exciting. It’s the perfect time to look back on four Merseyside derby defeats that hurt Liverpool most in the context of the season around them.
Is a fifth-place finish enough to warrant Arne Slot remaining Liverpool manager?
Liverpool’s most damaging derby losses against Everton
4. Everton 1-0 Liverpool, December 11th 2004
Lee Carsley’s 68th-minute strike settled the 200th Merseyside derby and gave David Moyes his first win over Liverpool. Leon Osman slipped the ball into Carsley, who drilled low past Chris Kirkland. And it wasn’t just a noisy derby win.
Everton ended the 2004-05 season in fourth on 61 points, with Liverpool fifth on 58. Liverpool still produced that famous Champions League triumph, but in league terms, this derby defeat helped Everton secure a rare higher finish in the Premier League.
3. Liverpool 0-2 Everton, February 20th 2021
Everton struck early through Richarlison and finished the job late when Gylfi Sigurdsson converted a penalty after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was brought down. On the day, it felt like a major shock. In the wider season context, it was even worse for Liverpool.
Everton won at Anfield for the first time since 1999 and marked the time of death for Liverpool’s title defence. Jurgen Klopp’s side were already wobbling badly, but this defeat turned the wobble into collapse. It was a fourth straight home league loss, something the club had not suffered for generations. At least it was behind closed doors.
2. Liverpool 0-1 Everton, October 20th 1984
Way back in the day, Graeme Sharp’s stunning second-half volley gave Everton a famous win at Anfield and announced a real shift in power on Merseyside. It remains one of the iconic derby goals, but the bigger story was what it said about the season that was unfolding around both clubs.
Liverpool were defending champions but had made a poor start and were down in the lower reaches of the table at the time. Everton, by contrast, were gathering momentum. They went on to dominate the rivalry that season, completed a derby treble and finished 13 points clear of Liverpool as First Division champions.
1. Everton 2-0 Liverpool, April 24th 2024
This is the modern benchmark for derby damage. Jarrad Branthwaite opened the scoring after Liverpool failed to deal with a set piece, then Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed in from a corner to make it 2-0. Everton were excellent, Goodison Park was ferocious, and Liverpool looked flat at exactly the wrong point in the campaign.
The Reds kicked off second in the table on 74 points and knew a win would keep the title race alive deep into the run-in. Instead, they lost Klopp’s final Goodison derby and handed momentum away for good, effectively finishing Liverpool’s challenge.
These are rare examples of this derby hurting Liverpool, but it’s no harm to look back on them, especially now. There’s no title at stake, but if Everton can dent our European hopes while boosting their own, it could end up being a result worthy of this list when all is said and done.
- READ MORE: Ryan Gravenberch makes Everton claim immediately after losing to PSG in the Champions League
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
