NEW footage has emerged of the crazy scenes which sparked a massive brawl immediately after the final whistle during the Everton-Liverpool game.
The final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park ended in a 2-2 draw with James Tarkowski‘s late volley ensuring the spoils were shared in a hotly contested fixture.
https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1889944524459483641
Curtis Jones pushes Abdoulaye Doucoure to spark the post-match brawl in Everton’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool[/caption]
Jones grabbed onto his rival’s shirt despite two more Everton stars trying to separate them[/caption]
Doucoure had run over to celebrate the draw in front of the Reds’ travelling support[/caption]
Jones took issue with the antics and rushed to confront him[/caption]
More players and stewards arrived to separate the pair with Jones still incensed[/caption]
But there were explosive scenes at the full-time whistle as players wearing the blue and red clashed on the field.
It came about as Abdoulaye Doucoure ran over to the away fans to celebrate the late equaliser.
Curtis Jones, who has been at Liverpool since the age of nine, did not take too kindly to the celebration happening in front of him and bolted over to confront the Toffees midfielder.
From there, players, coaches and stewards rushed over to diffuse the situation, though it only ended up expanding the brawl.
But new footage released by broadcaster TNT Sports has given viewers a new insight into the incident.
A slowed-down version of the events shows how an incensed Jones, 24, ran over to grab the shirt of his 32-year-old rival.
Carlos Alcaraz and Ashley Young arrive on the scene immediately and try to separate the pair, but Jones had a vice-like grip on Doucoure’s shirt and was determined to get his point across.
Jones was seen grabbing and ripping with both hands while he was simultaneously trying to be dragged away by the two other Everton stars.
Liverpool pair Alexis Mac Allister and Darwin Nunez as well as Toffees defender Jake O’Brien then arrived on the scene just after stewards to help separate them.
As more players joined the melee, a plastic water bottle was thrown from the crowd.
Fortunately, it missed the heads of anyone involved in the scrap and instead hit the shoulders of Beto, who scored the game’s opening goal after 11 minutes, before bouncing off and behind him.
Jones and Doucoure were both sent off for their actions, while Arne Slot was also given his marching orders after shaking the hand of Michael Oliver.
It has resulted in a two-game ban after Slot allegedly used “offensive, insulting, or abusive language”.
Reds assistant manager Sipke Hulshoff had also been dismissed for incessantly arguing about the Everton equaliser due to an apparent foul on Ibrahima Konate in the build-up.
Speaking about the incident and the game itself, Everton manager David Moyes said: “It was mayhem all game, it was a bit of an old-fashioned throwback.
“The bit after the game, I could tell you about it but the truth is, it’s not really what we should be talking about.
“What I do know is Doucoure got a yellow that led to a red which I am disappointed with as we are short of players.
“The place was boiling hot all night, emotional, it was an incredible atmosphere inside the stadium. I think it was hugely important that Evertonians get to finish at their stadium as best as they can.
“I just feel the support in here was unbelievable tonight, it was incredible support and I think it was fitting they got an end like they did.
“We didn’t win, which was disappointing, but we got a draw in a game that didn’t look as if it was going to go in our favour. It would have been hard to come here losing 2-1 and talking about it.
“But I think the way the crowd stayed to the end, it was a magical moment. There was a bit of tooing and froing at the end which might have added to the entertainment.”
Slot was unable to speak to the press having been sent off, but in his absence, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said: “We all know this is their cup final and they will do everything in their power to try and win against us.
“I think Doucoure in the end wanted to provoke our fans from what I saw and Curtis didn’t think that was the right thing to do.
“Obviously, you know what happens when there is a little tussle, but I didn’t think the ref had the game under control, I said that to him.”
