Everton star holds his hands up after mistake as Liverpool ‘punished’ him

Dwight McNeil has admitted he was at fault for Liverpool’s opening goal in the Merseyside Derby, watching his mistake back 10 times, but insists Everton can still secure European qualification

Everton star Dwight McNeil has acknowledged his culpability for Liverpool’s opener in the Merseyside Derby and has already reviewed his error 10 times, yet remains confident that the Toffees can still enjoy a positive conclusion to the campaign as they pursue European qualification.

Merely moments after Iliman Ndiaye – who netted the final two goals at Goodison Park and the inaugural strike at Hill Dickinson Stadium – believed he’d secured a hat-trick of landmarks by putting the Blues in front, only for his effort to be ruled out for Jake O’Brien’s offside following a VAR review, Liverpool advanced up the pitch and seized the lead through Mohamed Salah, who was featuring in the fixture for the final time.

McNeil surrendered possession to Cody Gakpo, who teed up the Egyptian for his goal, and admitted: “I’ve watched it back about 10 times already.

“I keep watching it back because it’s my pass inside goes straight to Gakpo, and he passes straight to Salah. That’s what happens at this top level, especially against Liverpool; they punish you.

“I thought we were the better team. There was my moment, giving the ball away as well.

“I think that’s where I’ve grown as a player (not letting the error affect his subsequent performance), but that will sit with me for a long time because I know that was my fault for the goal, and it makes it harder to get back into the game.

“We did get back into it, though, and we got the equalizer, and I thought we were doing alright, but it’s just that final moment.”

Last season, Liverpool finished 36 points above Everton, yet the Toffees entered this fixture just five points adrift of their Merseyside rivals. McNeil believed they competed well against Arne Slot’s expensively assembled side.

He said: “We know how good they are as a team. They won the league last year with the same group and the same manager.

“For us to be competing with them shows how far we’ve come in the last few years as well. It’s disappointing, the way we lost the game, but there are still five games to go and plenty of points to play for.

“From the start, we got the goal that was disallowed, and then within a few moments, that led to them scoring, and we did well to get back into it.

“Ki (Dewsbury-Hall) did a great ball to Beto, and Beto is in form, and it was a good finish from him. We thought we were going to push on, and I thought we were the better team, but to concede in the last-minute kills you.”

Everton was also dealt a blow when the club’s most valuable player, Jarrad Branthwaite, was stretchered off in the 87th minute with an injury to the center-back. When asked how losing Branthwaite impacted the side, McNeil said: “I think massively, everyone is just gutted for him.

“Since he’s come back from injury, he’s been outstanding. To do the injury again, we’re all just gutted for him, but we’re wishing him the best.”