The Reds were punished for an early mistake and then could not find a goal despite 27 efforts to lose to Everton yet again in front of a large crowd at Anfield.

Liverpool 0 – 2 Everton

Liverpool:

Aston Villa: Snoijs 7’, Holmgaard 69’

Pre-Match

The Liverpool FC Women play their final home match of the season in a Merseyside Derby at Anfield. The Reds have never beaten Everton when playing at Anfield, and have not beaten their local rivals in league play since 2019.

Amber Whiteley names an unchanged side from the last time out when the Reds had to come back for a 2-2 draw against Spurs. Leanne Kiernan misses out again with an injury, though it seems she is close to returning. Four squad members have announced they will not be returning next season, and all are on the bench. Niamh Fahey announced her retirement earlier this week, while Teagan Micah, Jasmine Matthews, and Yana Daniels all have said they will be moving on next season.

First Half

Liverpool are keeping possession early on, with lots of passing around the back to find angles in an attempt to get the ball forward. Everton are looking to press when the Reds are in their own half.

Goal Everton. Marie Höbinger gains possession of the ball on the right side midway in the Liverpool defensive half. She has time on the ball but plays it square inside directly to an Everton player. A couple of quick passes forward sees the Reds caught out as Katja Snoeijs is played in for a calm finish inside the box in just the 7th minute.

Liverpool with plenty of the ball as they push and probe around the Everton half. The Blues are dropping off when Liverpool are in possession and keeping the box clogged up. The Reds are struggling to find space for chances as they get it wide and then pass it back and around the middle.

Fuka Nagano creates a first good chance for Liverpool with a perfect clipped ball in over the last line of defenders for Sophie Roman Haug. The Norwegian timed her run well and has a free header 6 yards out, but she powers the ball directly at Courtney Brosnan in net.

Everton look to counter the Reds and almost find their way through. Jenna Clark races back and makes a shoulder to shoulder challenge in the box that the referee deems just on the legal side of the law and the ball goes out for a goal kick.

It’s all Liverpool now. The Reds are pressing and winning the ball back all over the place and are getting forward in waves. Olivia Smith is getting much more involved and is creating some nice chances. She uses her speed down the right to play two low balls into the box, but Liverpool just cannot find the right connection to challenge the goal.

Tons of possession for Liverpool but still struggling to create many real looks at goal. Sara Holmgaard is trying to stick close to Smith and hacking at her in an attempt to corral Liverpool’s most dangerous player. No one else in Red seems to be willing or able to unlock the Everton defense.

Holmgaard is whistled and given a talking to for persistent fouling on Olivia Smith. Marie Höbinger drives the free kick in towards the back post and Gemma Bonner leaps for the ball. She can only get a glancing touch on it, however, and the ball skims past the far post.

Smith continues to get fouled, and eventually Holmgaard is shown a yellow card. Definitely a player the Reds should target as she will have to be more careful now.

Liverpool starting to turn the screws now as they are starting to get more shots away. Taylor Hinds finds a pocket of space outside the left edge of the box and powers a shot towards goal. Brosnan leaps and gets a fingertip to the ball to push it onto the crossbar and out for a corner. Hinds gets a second look from distance off of the corner, but this time she puts the ball well over the frame.

The Reds are winning the ball back with their press and Fuka Nagano fashions a great chance after intercepting a ball at the top of the Everton box. She takes a couple touches towards goal before playing it inside for Olivia Smit, but the Canadian completely mishits the ball and pops it high into the air for Brosnan to catch.

Liverpool look for a late chance in first half extra time as Olivia Smith. She turns the corner and bursts past her defender near midfield. As Smith races forward, she has both Sophie Roman Haug and Ceri Holland for company. Smith drives inside and then slides the ball to Roman Haug, but the striker cannot keep clean control of the ball and ends up carrying it away from goal before losing the ball. That’s the last action of the half as Liverpool have absolutely dominated the possession and the shots, but Everton are the team with the goal from only two shots.

Second Half

Liverpool start our brightly as they search for an equalizer. Olivia Smith creates two chances in the opening two minutes. The first comes from a high press, but her shot is too close to Brosnan to trouble the keeper. Smith is then played through into the box and races towards the ball as Brosnan bravely comes sliding out. The keeper gets the ball just as Smith gets a foot to it, sending the attacker tumbling.

Ceri Holland is starting to get more involved down the left wing to mirror Smith on the right. She dummies the ball fantastically to freeze her defender before rolling and racing forward. She spies the run of Smith on the far side of the box and plays the ball over to her, but Smith cannot control the volley and the ball loops high over the goal.

Holland then combines with Taylor Hinds to again get the ball down the left wing. Hinds puts an initial ball in and a scramble ensues in the box. It falls kindly to Marie Höbinger and the midfielder drives a low shot through a crowd towards the goal. Brosnan does well to get down and parry the ball for an initial save. None of the Liverpool players in the box followed the shot up and Everton are able to clear the ball away.

Liverpool are piling the shots up now. Olivia Smith finds space in the box once again, but again shoots right at Brosnan. Ceri Holland has two chances in quick succession shortly after that but puts both opportunities wide. The Reds are up to 19 shots to Everton’s 2 but are still down a goal.

Amber Whiteley makes her first change as Liverpool desperately search for a goal. Sophie Roman Haug, who has primarily been a non-factor, is replace by Cornelia Kapocs in the 68th minute.

Goal Everton. Directly off the restart, Everton get the ball forward down the left wing through Toni Payne. She gets just enough space to drive a ball across the face of Liverpool’s goal. Taylor Hinds attempts to get something on the ball but whiffs while facing her own goal and the ball comes to Karen Holmgaard on the right. The fullback fires the ball back towards the far post with both Grace Fisk and Rachael Laws attempting to get to it. The ball may have deflected off of Fisk, but it ends up in the back of the net regardless. An absolute sucker punch.

Liverpool are fully desperate now with a two goal deficit. They quickly launch another series of attacks in an attempt to break the proverbial dam and get goals flowing. Marie Höbinger again cannot beat Brosnan in net from the top of the box. Ceri Holland then comes within a whisker, heading a delivery from Taylor Hinds back towards the near post. Brosnan gets a touch and the ball is directed onto the post and then comes back off the back of Brosnan. It could have gone anywhere, but ends up going out for a corner.

RED CARD! Olivia Smith again gets the better of Sara Holmgaard, forcing the left back into a late lunging challenge to hack down Smith rather than giver her a free run at goal. The referee shows Holmgaard her second yellow to send her off in the 81st minute.

Amber Whiteley is going to make two more changes as we approach the end of regulation. It’s midfielder Julia Bartel and defender Niamh Fahey coming on rather than an attacker. It will be a last run out for Fahey in front of the home fans. Fuka Nagano and Jenna Clark are withdrawn.

Olivia Smith beats the first defender on the right and carries the ball towards the box. She gets hacked down but the referee calls for a corner kick rather than a free kick. Höbinger drives the free kick towards the near post for Gemma Bonner, but the defender flicks the ball past the near post for a goal kick.

Julia Bartel does earn a free kick a minute later in the left channel about twenty yards from goal. Marie Höbinger goes for goal but cannot beat the wall. An Everton defender goes down clutching her head and play is stopped for her to get treatment.

The referee gives Liverpool a drop ball where they had regained possession before the whistle blew to stop play, just past where the free kick had been taken. Höbinger takes the ball and takes it towards the goal. A scrum ensues and Grace Fisk is the player with the cleanest look, but again her shot cannot find a way into the net and is deflected up and to the left side of the box.

Liverpool are just chucking the ball towards goal in the seven minutes of extra time. Taylor Hinds sees a shot deflected out for a corner, and Grace Fisk gets on the end of the ensuing set piece. Her header goes wide of frame, however.

Olivia Smith had one last go at goal and almost scored a stunner. She cut inside from the right flank past a defender and unleashed a fantastic left-footed curler. The ball whistled just past the far post, however.

That was the last significant action as Liverpool yet again lose out to Everton at Anfield.

Final Thoughts

Another error in the defensive half put Liverpool behind early, but there was more than enough time for the Reds to find a goal. Liverpool continued their trend of paltry finishing, however, finishing with 27 shots, 5 shots on target, and 0 goals. Everton scored twice off of six total shots.

Liverpool are stumbling their way to the end of the season now, with already crowned league champions Chelsea (yet again) as the final WSL match next weekend. Depending on results, Liverpool could finish as low as 8th after being 5th just two weeks ago.