Everton player ratings in 1-0 Merseyside Derby defeat

What the 227th edition of the Merseyside Derby lacked in quality, it more than made up for in passion, intensity and commitment.

But in the end, Everton hearts were broken by a Sadio Mane injury time winner.

Everton dominated most of the first half but the tables turned after the break as Liverpool took the match to the Blues in the second stanza. But for Maarten Stekelenburg’s heroics on two separate occasions, we could be reflecting on a bigger loss. The 1-0 defeat is an extremely bitter pill to swallow.

Here’s how each player fared.

Maarten Stekelenburg: 9/10

Showcasing a man of the match performance before having to leave through injury, Maarten Stekelenburg made two brilliant saves – both off of Roberto Firmino chances – that should have earned the Toffees a point.

Seamus Coleman: 8/10

The Irishman was steady at the back all game and limited the league’s most potent attack to only a few scoring chances. He was brilliant in the first half. Liverpool had trouble matching Coleman’s slaloming runs down the byline. Coleman wasn’t able to show much offensive intent in the second half, but had a fantastic match overall.

Ashley Williams: 7/10

Ashley Williams played mistake-free football. The Welshman had a chance to replicate his game-winner heroics when he had a free header in the 75th minute. This time he couldn’t muster the power needed to lob Simon Mignolet. Both he and Funes Mori were far too slow to react to Sadio Mane’s winner.

Funes Mori: 6/10

Other than the goal, Funes Mori didn’t do too much wrong. He was, however, caught flat-footed when Daniel Sturridge’s shot came back off the post in the 94th minute. In the end, that’s enough to take Mori’s rating down a few points.

Leighton Baines:  6/10

Leighton Baines started well, but disappeared completely in the second half. He couldn’t push forward due to Liverpool’s constant pressure. Baines was unable to stay with Sturridge when his shot eventually came back off the post fortuitously for Mane.

Aaron Lennon: 4/10

Aaron Lennon was probably the least threatening man on the pitch. He didn’t make any incisive passses, nor did he run at the Reds’ defense. He was a ghost. It wasn’t good enough and Ronald Koeman probably won’t stand for it.

Idrissa Gueye: 8/10

There isn’t enough superlatives to describe Idrissa Gueye. The man is tireless and industrious in the heart of midfield. He created all sorts of problems for Liverpool in the first half and defended well after the break. The Senegalese midfielder deserves much better.

Ross Barkley: 5/10

A lucky man to be on the pitch after his two-footed lunge on Jordan Henderson, Ross Barkley had another off game. It’s so perplexing considering how well Barkley played against Arsenal last week. He’s an extremely frustrating player to watch. The enigmatic midfielder blows hot and cold. He was off the pace, wasted possession numerous times, played multiple inaccurate balls and was caught flat-footed over and over again.

Enner Valencia: 5/10

Enner Valencia started the match magnificently and looked as though he was on track for a man of the match performance. That was before the Ecuadorian came off the rails in the second half. He lost possession near his own box by trying to take a Liverpool player on, lazily I might add. It looked like he couldn’t maintain the pace he started the match with.

James McCarthy: 8/10

James McCarthy enjoyed a brilliant first half. He was lively, played with passion and was the centerpiece of most promising Everton plays. McCarthy tackled like a beast and, like Gueye, deserved better. The match took a turn for the worse when McCarthy was withdrawn at the half.

Romelu Lukaku: 5/10

For a player of his stature and size, Romelu Lukaku doesn’t hold the ball up nearly well enough. He was lively in the first half and looked threatening at times. The big Belgian wasted possession far too easily on numerous first-half occasions. Other than a flicked header, he didn’t have an attempt on goal. In fairness, Lukaku didn’t receive much service in the second half but that’s been taken into consideration in the talisman’s rating.

The subs

Joel Robles: 5/10

It’s tough to judge Joel Robles performance. He didn’t have a lot to do but still had to pick the ball from the back of his net. Some people will say he should have been quicker on Sturridge’s shot that led to Mane’s winner. Regardless, I think Everton would have secured a draw had Stekelenburg been able to stay on the pitch.

Gareth Barry: 6/10

Gareth Barry didn’t play poorly by any stretch of the imagination. But he didn’t have the effect on the game that is predecessor, McCarthy, did. It was an unfortunate substitution for both players as Barry is much better when he starts.

Next: Everton keeping eye on Aston Villa left back Jordan Amavi

Dominic Calvert-Lewin: 6/10

Again, it’s tough to judge Lewin’s performance based on 20 minutes, especially as Liverpool had most of the ball during the 19 year old’s time on the field.