Jack Grealish was frustrated after Everton's 2-1 defeat against Liverpool | Credit: IMAGO / Shutterstock
Liverpool continued their perfect start to the season with a 2-1 win in the Merseyside derby. While the Reds were making it a habit to score late goals this season, they earned the three points at Anfield on Saturday via two goals in the first half. Ryan Gravenberch opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a wonderfully controlled finish, while new signing Hugo Ekitike doubled Liverpool's lead in the 29th minute.
Everton fed off scraps in the first period, with only a couple of half chances falling their way. But the visitors got more joy in the second period, while Liverpool seemed to lose their first-half edge in the final third. Everton got back into the game two minutes shy of the hour mark, with Jack Grealish bombing down the left and clipping the ball to the far post, where it was teed up by Ndiaye for Idrissa Gueye to thunder the ball past Alisson.
Grealish, who arrived at Everton in the summer on a season-long loan, was disappointed with the result, particularly because of a lackluster performance in the first half.
"If we would have pressed like that from the start it would have been different, but in the end, we couldn't get that last goal."
Asked if Liverpool's tendency to slip on their lead this season gave Everton belief of getting back into the game, he said:
"Yeah. Even when I've watched them this season, they've been so good, but when they're 2-0 up, like the other day against Atletico Madrid, they conceded two. So we always had that belief, we got one back, it was a great goal from Idrisse, but we couldn't get that last goal, but it's a bit frustrating."
It wasn't just the result that Grealish was frustrated by, but he also found some refereeing decisions to be shocking:
"In the second half, there were times when they were trying to slow it down, and I've never seen a player get booked in my life for taking a quick free kick. I don't know where that rule has come from. Haven't seen it in the Premier League in the last 2-3 years. I understand that the referee wants to keep the game going, but you can't give something against us, and then two seconds later their defender gets a little touch in the back (and it's a free kick). I get it. Sometimes you come to these stadiums, the crowd are on you, and you feel like you need to give it. We need to get the game going, we're losing the game. I've never seen that in my life."
Grealish arrived on Merseyside this summer in an attempt to play more regularly, having fallen down the pecking order at Manchester City. He was asked if coming to Everton has changed things for him, he said:
"100%. And the manager sometimes comes out and says it's not down to me, it's down to Jack, which sometimes I disagree with. Because he's been so good with me, and I love playing for him. When I spoke to him when I was on holiday, I just knew I wanted to play for him. I thank him for bringing my love back, working up to a matchday I wanted to smile and play again."
Lastly, he also had a few kind words for the Everton faithful.
"The fans have been so good as well. I wanted to come here and make a difference in games like today, obviously today it wasn't meant to be but we've got important games coming up so hopefully we can get back on track."
