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The 241st Merseyside Derby ended in a 0-0 stalemate but this Premier League encounter was anything but a drab bore draw at Goodison Park. 

Frank Lampard may take greater encouragement out of the two managers when evaluating the share of the spoils in this one. In fact, it was Lampard’s first managerial point in five meetings against Klopp, even though Everton’s wait for a derby win at Goodison Park has now stretched to 12 years. However, Conor Coady thought he had ended that drought for the Toffees only for VAR to rule out his  second-half goal against his boyhood club for offside. 

Everton may well feel hard done to by the VAR officials at Stockley Park and not just because of the decision to disallow Coady’s goal, which has now been questioned by a number of different voices as to the validity of the explanation. The Blues boss Lampard was also left questioning the decision to not send off Virgil Van Dijk for a late challenge on Amadou Onana which looked like a red card offence. 

The toffees may well also point to the decision not award them a penalty when James Milner intentionally motioned his arm towards Dwight McNeil’s late shot and deflected it over the bar. Replays show that the ball clearly hit Milner’s arm and should have been a penalty to Everton. 

As for the rest of the game, it flowed from end to end at times and was a thoroughly entertaining game for one without goals. Debutant Neal Maupay dragged his first real effort across goal inside the opening ten minutes after the Blues had impressively counter-pressed Liverpool trying to play out from the back. 

Anthony Gordon forced Allison Becker into his first real action of the game following a cleared corner, as the winger attempted to curl a shot into the corner. 

Tom Davies then came excruciatingly close to giving his boyhood club the lead when his shot bounced back out after hitting the inside of the post as the Blues took control of the game. 

At the other end, England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford produced a stunning save from Reds striker Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan thought he had scored after volleying the ball on the run but Pickford pushed his shot onto the bar and out. Following that save Luis Diaz then struck the inside of the post as it was the Toffees turn to ride their luck before half time. 

The second half saw Liverpool have much more control and Pickford needed to be on top form to keep them out. Half time substitute Roberto Firming produced a great save from Pickford, who then kept out a shot from Fabinho from close range. 

Everton then had a glorious chance to score following a lightening quick break by Demarai Gray, he travelled from one end of the pitch to the other and found debutant Meal Maupay but he fluffed his lines by hitting Allison with the goal gaping. 

Then came the disallowed Cody goal after good work by Maupay the defender turned home the cross-shot and Goodison erupted. After what felt like an eternity referee Anthony Taylor was instructed to disallow the goal but the arguments are still continuing over the decision as it struck James Milner before arriving at Coady’s feet. 

There was still enough time for another triple save from Pickford, then an Everton penalty claim before Liverpool almost won it late into stoppage time when Pickford tipped a Mo Sarah shot onto the post and out to earn his side a share of the spoils. 

The game had almost everything except goals. 

Barry Cass