Everton and Liverpool play out desperately poor bore draw

Liverpool extended their unbeaten run in Merseyside derbies to 17 games after a drab 0-0 draw away to Everton.

The Reds, who were without Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in their starting line-up, edged the first half and were denied by two stunning saves from Jordan Pickford who enhanced his England hopes in front of Gareth Southgate.

But the strikeforce of Dominic Solanke and Danny Ings, starting his first game in three years, were not able to seize their chance to become a derby hero.

Sam Allardyce’s side went closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half through Yannick Bolasie’s curling effort which Loris Karius did well to tip away.

Big Sam tried to change things by bringing on Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Idrissa Gueye for Wayne Rooney, which led to the former England skipper refusing to shake hands with his manager and making his feelings known on the bench.

And the home side ended the game stronger with Seamus Coleman and Calvert-Lewin missing good chances as Jurgen Klopp’s side held on ahead of Tuesday’s second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Manchester City.

The former England skipper had a wretched afternoon and has not scored since December 18th against Swansea City. But he was furious at being brought off before the hour mark, avoiding a handshake with Big Sam, grabbing his jacket and appearing to mouth an expletive on the bench. Having been brought off before the hour mark against Manchester City last weekend, Rooney’s powers look to be on the wane.

Jordan Pickford (Everton): He produced two impressive saves to keep out Dominic Solanke and James Milner to improve his chances of being England’s number one at the World Cup.

EVERTON: Pickford 8, Baines 6, Keane 5, Jagielka 6, Coleman 8, Schneiderlin 6, Rooney 5, Davies 4, Bolasie 6, Walcott 4, Tosun 5. Subs: Gueye 5, Calvert-Lewin 6, Baningime n/a

LIVERPOOL: Karius 7, Clyne 6, Lovren 5, Van Dijk 5, Klavan 5, Milner 7, Henderson 6, Wijnaldum 7, Mane 5, Ings 5, Solanke 5. Subs: Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Firmino n/a, Alexander-Arnold n/a

16’ - SOLANKE MISS: Clyne’s cross hits a defender and falls kindly for Solanke whose first-time effort is somehow kept put by Pickford who pulls off a good reflex save.

23’ – TOP SAVE! Bolasie with a curling effort from 25 yards with plenty of power which Karius does well to tip away.

29’ - GOOD SAVE! A nice patient move from the Reds, Henderson finds Milner who cuts inside and fires in a curling effort that Pickford tips away.

70’ - CHANCE! The Ox picks up the ball on the halfway line, bursts forward, cuts inside and fires in a shot that goes over. Decent effort, he looks in confident mood after that goal against Man City on Wednesday.

87’ - CLOSE! Walcott clips in a cross for Tosun whose header across goal just misses Coleman's toe.

88’ - CHANCE! Coleman gallops forward again and fires in a cross, it falls to Calvert-Lewin who has plenty of time but sidefoots his effort off target.

This was only the second Merseyside derby in Premier League history without a single card shown and first since their maiden clash in the competition in December 1992.

Five of the last six Premier League meetings between these sides at Goodison Park have ended level.

Indeed, this fixture has been drawn 0-0 more often than any other in Premier League history (9 times).

Everton have scored just four goals in their last nine top-flight Merseyside derbies, failing to score in five of those games.

Liverpool are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions against Everton (W8 D9) – their longest ever run without defeat against their Merseyside neighbours.

Sam Allardyce has won just five of his 28 Premier League games against Liverpool as a manager (D8 L15).

This was also Allardyce’s 50th goalless draw in the Premier League – the third highest total among managers in the competition (Harry Redknapp 64, Arsene Wenger 62).