Result: Everton 0-0 Liverpool
Date: 21 June 2020
Venue: Goodison Park
Liverpool resumed Premier League action with a disappointing goalless against cross-town rivals Everton on Sunday night.
Only Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane were retained from the last match before the season was suspended, with Japanese forward Takumi Minamino starting in place of Mohamed Salah was named on the bench.
The sides started at a low tempo, although Toffees' attacker Richarlison did show a bit of attacking intent down the flanks in the early stages.
However, the game came to life after the water break midway through the first stanza, with Joel Matip's heading wide from six-yards out while Firmino also went inches wide with a shot moments later.
The Reds went the closest to finding the breakthrough just before the break through a free-kick from Alexander-Arnold, who whipped in a low strike under the wall that was saved by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Jurgen Klopp's charges upped their tempo in the opening exchages of the second stanza but it was the Toffees who came close to breaking the deadlock on the hour-mark after Richarlison blasted an effort over the bar with only shot-stopper Alisson to beat, although he was under pressure from Van Dijk.
in an attempt to find a breakthrough, Klopp brought on Divock Origi in place of Firmino while Dejan Lovren replaced Matip, who went down with injury just after the drinks break.
Carlo Ancelotti's troops had a late surge at goal in the closing phase, as Tom Davies latched onto a rebound from Alisson's hands in the last ten minutes but saw his shot across the goal guided on to the post by Joe Gomez before the Brazilian shot-stopper denied Richarlison at point blank range at the near post two minutes later.
However, neither side were able to find a winning goal late on as the encounter ended goalles, with Liverpool now boasting a record with one win in their last five games.
