Charles Taudin 11/02/2025 36comments  |  Jump to last

In his pre-match press conference, Liverpool manager Arne Slot spoke about the atmosphere at Goodison Park, though he was quick to place it below that of Anfield.

For him, several factors will make this match and its atmosphere truly special—chief among them, the fact that it will be the last Merseyside derby ever played at Goodison Park.

However, Slot couldn’t resist bringing up the last derby, taking aim at what he perceived as officiating that was overly favourable to the Toffees.

“I’ve seen last season’s game, for example, and I think we were quite ready because after 10 minutes, the referee had already blown his whistle 11 times—10 of them in favour of Everton. The Liverpool players were ready to compete, but every time they touched them, it was a free kick.”

Matching the intensity of the game is one thing, but playing within the rules is another.

We all know that these kinds of comments are nothing new from Arne Slot, particularly before high-stakes matches. The Liverpool manager has made a habit of such remarks. But blaming the referees always seems to be the easier option rather than addressing his own team’s shortcomings.

Liverpool have just been knocked out of the FA Cup by Plymouth, exposing some of their vulnerabilities ahead of a match as crucial as the Merseyside derby.

Meanwhile, Moyes and his players fully understand the importance of this fixture, which goes far beyond simply securing three points. It’s about making a statement and riding the momentum of their recent positive results.

 

Reader Comments (36)

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Paul Hewitt
1 Posted 11/02/2025 at 11:13:40
What a load of bollocks. He needs to watch the derbies before last season. They get all the decisions.
Charles Taudin
2 Posted 11/02/2025 at 11:43:20
#1 Paul

Classic statement before an important game...haha

Billy Bradshaw
3 Posted 11/02/2025 at 12:16:16
Same ref tomorrow please.
Steve Brown
4 Posted 11/02/2025 at 12:19:32
The irony of the reds claiming referees bias against them.

I am expecting they will get their complimentary penalty for Salah, and VAR (Very Aggressively Redshite) will pivot all major decisions in their favour.

Tony Abrahams
5 Posted 11/02/2025 at 12:41:01
I was at that game Arne, and there was a reason that Liverpool had given away so many free kicks, so early in the game.

They had forgotten to pack their inhalers, was how a lot of us were feeling because Liverpool, couldn’t live with the intensity of Everton, early on in the game, and this is how we have got to play tomorrow.

The bullies are coming for revenge and their manager is playing the referee already. This referee has played Everton for years imo, and didn’t need Slott’s words, is what a lot of us will be thinking.

Fight, fight, fight, and fight some more and hopefully Liverpool will be crying even more than they usually do, after tomorrow night’s game 🤞

Ajay Gopal
6 Posted 11/02/2025 at 13:00:59
Ha.. ha.. classic mind games. I hope they bring up Slot's comments in Moyes' presser and he makes a point about the RS putting the refs under pressure. We need a strong ref, but more importantly, we need our players to come out fully committed right from kick-off.
Christy Ring
7 Posted 11/02/2025 at 13:11:50
He's some dickhead whinging, and he wasn't even involved with the club, Klopp2, didn't mention how he hawled McAllister off in his last Premiership game, when he was already on a yellow, and kicked a player between the legs, no ball there!, ref turned a blind eye, a bit like what Klopp did with Konate in the derby. They get every penalty, every decision going, and they still try to put pressure on ref, with their whinging.
Anthony Jones
8 Posted 11/02/2025 at 13:59:45
I don't think Arne Slot is already known for this sort of comment.

He might be now.

I guess this is the kind of reporting you get from international sports writers.

Jimmy Salt
9 Posted 11/02/2025 at 14:24:05
I haven't really payed much attention to the Dutch cue ball to be honest but then hey presto out of the nowhere he goes and talks a load of broken biscuits to try and get the ref on his side.
He is now officially in the same red nose nob head category as all their other managers, players, supporters, ground staff, cleaners, etc etc.
Rob Halligan
10 Posted 11/02/2025 at 14:32:25
Slots comments duly noted by Michael Oliver! I can just see Oliver in a little over 24 hours, listening to a pre-recorded message………….”Memo to self, need to right the wrongs of this fixture last season, and award Liverpool a penalty in the first minute”.

The reason Andy Madley gave us fouls in the first ten minutes, is because every single one of them was a foul!

Slot won’t know what’s hit him when he steps out of the tunnel. A proper Scouse atmosphere, not your Norwegian and tourist fans with all their ridiculous scarves and banners, carrying bags galore full of merchandise from the club shop!

Come on blues, don’t let the best fans in the world down, and win the final derby at Goodison. After all the misery over the last few years it’s the least we deserve.

COYB
UTFT
FTRS!

Si Cooper
11 Posted 11/02/2025 at 15:15:05
Such an obvious attempt to prejudice the ref should work against Slot’s lot if anything, but that presupposes the official has their own mind and will resent the attempt at influencing their mind-set.
We need to start quick so hopefully all the early stuff is clearly hard but fair so no bias can seep in.
Liam Mogan
12 Posted 11/02/2025 at 16:33:14
It's not the fact they were all fouls (The shite are dirty bastards which somehow they get away with), but the fact that the ref gave them!

Alien headed prick. You weren't even here.

Rob Halligan
13 Posted 11/02/2025 at 17:46:16
I wonder if slot watched the first derby at Analfield last season, when Konate brought Beto down near the halfway line as he was about to have a clear run on goal?
Tom Bowers
14 Posted 11/02/2025 at 18:13:14
I am the first to admit that we have deservedly lost many Derby games but many others could have gone our way but didn't thanks
to pure bad luck and bad officiating.

Obviously in recent years RS have had the big money to attract many better players especially up front and that is certainly proving itself this season with Slot hardly having to do anything since taking over from Klopp.

It would be nice to get a result tomorrow not only to keep a couple of other teams in touch but because it would be a nice lasting memory of Goodison.

Our results at Goodison for a few seasons now have been poor with too many teams getting points but if the Blues defense comes up big (unlike the first half last Sat.) then just maybe we will be able to smile.

David West
15 Posted 11/02/2025 at 18:43:47
Wining and moaning before a ball has been kicked.
Do one Arne!! It's typical, trying to put it in the refs mind.

I hope it's a battle, proper kick them off the park, let them be glad they never get to grace the pitch at goodison again ! !
Nunez can be wound up, get to him.

Just hope we play to win it, although a draw would be a good result against this side, I'm not interested in playing for draws in this one !

Red & white shite !
UTFT !!!
Kopites are gobshites !
COYB !!!!


Colin Crooks
16 Posted 11/02/2025 at 18:53:24
The words merchant and banker are swirling around my head
Billy Shears
17 Posted 11/02/2025 at 19:12:50
How's about disrespecting the FA Cup then you Prick!
Hoping we fucking smash 'em...

COYB!!!!!

Rob Halligan
18 Posted 11/02/2025 at 19:38:24
The live forum is open, with a contribution from Charles. Is it going to be open every day? I’ve just posted on there by the way.
Colwyn Harris
19 Posted 11/02/2025 at 21:02:07
Hopefully we can get another three points off this lot. COYB!
Derek Thomas
20 Posted 11/02/2025 at 22:34:29
Getting the official whinge in - rs, you always get exactly what it says on the tin. Take your red tinted glasses off Uncle Fester.
Tom Bowers
21 Posted 11/02/2025 at 22:41:54
Would have loved Duncan Ferguson to be playing tomorrow and letting Dick Van Dike know what a real centre forward is made of.
Hayley Flack
22 Posted 11/02/2025 at 23:23:18
What a wanker
George Stuart
23 Posted 12/02/2025 at 00:14:12
So, of course I'm angry.
Our 2-0 win last season didn't cost them the premiership. Man City did that. We just extinguished their feint hope. Happy to do that BTW.
Liverpool are a better team than us ATM. Playing well. One thing we can bring to the party is intensity and physicality. A leveller if you will.
So Slotty tries to mitigate that option. Fair enough.
If he gets inside the ref's head and he does the opposite of what Slot claims last year, we up the stakes and put a few of their key players out of the game for a few crucial weeks.
All part of the modern game.
Mark Andersson
24 Posted 12/02/2025 at 01:02:15
Just put a face and voice to Lyndon Lloyed on The Blue Room pod cast.. very interesting..

As far as this new RS managers comments, meh... it's up to our players to be aggressive but professional. Play hard and fair, with a bit of luck get a result.

I have stopped hating our red cousins, not worth waisting negative energy on that club or fans.

It's all out if our control, no matter how much you scream and shout. It would be nice for Moyes to win this game, then I just might warm to the guy.

Good luck to all you blues going the match..

Bob Parrington
25 Posted 12/02/2025 at 01:32:39
Slot slotted in quickly to become an RS and so talks out of his Rear Slot!
Mike Allison
26 Posted 12/02/2025 at 07:48:22
I hope the emoji on the picture isn’t a sign of things to come on this website.

We’re not children.

Brian Wilkinson
27 Posted 12/02/2025 at 14:10:10
Moyes should have responded with, the last time we got a penalty in a Goodison Derby was way back in April 2003, 22 years ago.

The last Liverpool player to be sent off in a Goodison Derby was back in April 2001, since then Everton have had 9 players sent off in a Goodison Derby.

Kopites are gobshites

Up the Toffees.

Alan McMillan
28 Posted 12/02/2025 at 14:37:55
I'd like to think the referee will be unbiased and impartial tonight, but history says otherwise. Even when we get correct decisions, it seems others aren't happy. We played them off the park last year with a committed and spirited performance reminiscent of a match from a bygone era.

Altogether now:
"You lost the league at goodison park

You lost the league at goodison park

You lost the league at goodison park

You lost the league at goodison park"

Brian Wilkinson
29 Posted 12/02/2025 at 15:15:18
Need save that song for after we go 1 nil up Alan, otherwise will get return fire if they take the lead with won the league at Goodison park.
Colin Glassar
32 Posted 13/02/2025 at 07:08:22
And I thought tombstone teeth was a moaning, little pussy. What is it with these rs managers?
Chris Keher
33 Posted 14/02/2025 at 00:04:52
I have to say I know it's early days but the childish lead photo for this article would never have been used under the previous regime.

Everyone likes a meme/photo/video etc that is a childish dig at the enemy but ToffeeWeb has always been above that. Leave the gutter to Twitter or Tik Tok or whatever.

I hope this site doesn't become a cesspit for stuff like that. Standards will drop sharply if it does.

Andy Crooks
34 Posted 14/02/2025 at 18:42:33
Chris, ToffeeWeb, has never, thank fuck, been above that. They are scum and their latest coach is perfect for them.
Dave Lynch
35 Posted 14/02/2025 at 18:53:34
The one thing that Liverpool do is turn rational level headed managers into total knobheads.
It must be in the contract..."right Arne, you are known to be a calm level headed fair individual...yes".

"Yes I am".

"Well you can pack that in sunshine, we need a totally biased, dummy spitting knobhead at this club".

Jerome Shields
36 Posted 18/02/2025 at 08:13:41
I am now convinced that Liverpool's position in the Premier League Table is by default.They are not a Championship winning side.The way they blame, argue every decision and whine shows they know they are their by default.

Everton exposed them for what they are. They were lucky against Wolves and will collapse before the end of the season.Their managers wears it on his sleeve.

Tony Abrahams
37 Posted 18/02/2025 at 08:33:09
They have only lost once all season Jerome, but their nearest rivals are Arsenal, and as my Arsenal supporting mate said to me the other day it’s not like they have shown anything up to now, that would make the Gunners worthy champions.

I did have to smile at the young Liverpudlian, who put five fingers and a thumb up after scoring at Bramley Moore last night though. It’s hard to fathom how after thirty years without a trophy, how much we are inside their heads.

I agree about Slot, Jerome, and if Liverpool implode (quite possible) I’m just concerned that Arsenal, might just not have enough to capitalise?

Jerome Shields
38 Posted 20/02/2025 at 19:46:02
Sorry Tony only came across your post.

I agree they are very much in position they are in by default.But I heard a pundit, whose name I didn't get, obviously a red, comment that the top of the Premier League was alot more Professional than the days of Leicester and such Clubs would not win the Premiership, since even the young players that play for thhe top six are as Professional as the veterans.Arrogance.

I must admit I was wondering about Arsenal when I wrote the above post.I tend to concentrate on Everton and don't watch other teams, only when they play Everton.

My faith in the Premier League has deminiced in this past years.Funnily I attribute this to the Everton Story of this pass years, which seems bigger than it.International and constantly changing.I also think that Liverpool who tried the break away have been able to sit back as they are whiter than white.Which I don't believe.

A genuine Arsenal Supporter is normally right in their assessment and I do think that Arteta has not been able to resurrect the Arsenal Defence, prior to Wenger, who let it slip.Any Arsenal winning side was based on defence. Man City are a troubled case.I think Pep is suffering from burnout.

Therefore it is down to Everton to get three points at Anfield and humble those bastards.I do think the Derby did put it up them and why not rattle them again.

Hang on:

Evertonians dread and hate Michael Oliver, what is Slotty talking about.

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