Moyes Frustrated by Controversial Derby Defeat but Sees Everton Progress

David Moyes was left frustrated by the controversial nature of Everton’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the 246th Merseyside derby but remained positive about the progress his team is making.

Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute strike proved the difference at Anfield, though Everton felt hard done by as Luis Diaz appeared to be offside in the build-up, drawing James Tarkowski out of position before Ryan Gravenberch’s pass allowed the Colombian to break through.

Speaking to evertontv after the match, Moyes didn’t hold back in his criticism of the officials but also highlighted the resilience and improvement of his squad.

“Lots to Be Happy With”

“There are lots of things I’m happy with,” Moyes said. “We’ve played the team leading the Premier League twice now, and in both games, we’ve stayed competitive right until the end. That shows we’re making progress.”

“Their goal is offside – there’s no doubt about that. It’s a mistake from the linesman, VAR, or the referee, whichever way you look at it. It’s not even a difficult one to call, in my opinion. But at Anfield, you don’t expect those decisions to go your way.”

Despite the setback, Moyes saw encouraging signs from his team. “We had one or two good opportunities. We just lacked that final pass, that last bit of quality needed to turn chances into goals.”

Closing the Gap

Reflecting on Everton’s overall performance, Moyes suggested his team is closing the gap on their city rivals. “Liverpool were more aggressive and tougher tonight than in the first game, but maybe we’re getting closer to them. Over the two fixtures, the results suggest we’re not as far away as we might have thought.”

Everton had come into the derby on the back of a nine-game unbeaten run, a streak that had reignited their campaign. Moyes acknowledged the frustration of losing but remained optimistic. “If you’d told me eight weeks ago that we’d be in this position, I’d have snapped your hand off. We’ve played Liverpool twice in a month and given them two good games. That tells me we’re heading in the right direction.”