Explosive, was how David ‘Mystic’ Moyes had predicted the 120th and final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park would play out. James Tarkowski triggered a detonator under it.

The Everton captain thumped home an unstoppable volley with virtually the final kick of the game to prevent Liverpool going nine points clear at the Premier League summit and, more importantly in Goodison terms, winning the final duel across Stanley Park. An overall scoreline of 42-41 Goodison victories beckoned in Liverpool’s favour after Mohamed Salah’s late strike but Tarkowski’s even later strike gave the hosts a deserved point. Bedlam ensued.

There were two VAR reviews after Tarkowski lashed substitute Tim Iroegbunam’s flick-on into the roof of Alisson’s net, one for offside and another for a push by Beto on Ibrahima Konaté. Both were cleared, the second to the fury of Arne Slot and the Liverpool bench, and when the final whistle sounded Abdoulaye Doucouré celebrated in front of the away fans who seconds earlier had been singing ‘We won the league at Goodison Park’ in response to last season’s taunts. Curtis Jones leapt on the Everton midfielder, sparking a huge melee. Jones and Doucouré were both sent off. Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were also sent off after the final whistle.

Moyes altered Everton’s pre-match routine in recognition of the occasion and gathered the squad together for breakfast at Goodison before heading to their usual hotel. They were met by a sea of Everton fans upon their return. Thousands gathered on Goodison Road to greet the team coach, the air filled with blue smoke and the smell of sulphur. There were even bag-pipes. Pity poor Jan Molby, who was asked to conduct a TV interview outside in the chaos.

The mood on the street filtered inside and Goodison was at its atmospheric best for the last game currently scheduled to be played under the floodlights. Everton fed off the energy of the crowd and made a ferocious start that never granted Liverpool a moment to settle. Best make it count. Quick-thinking by Jarrad Branthwaite and slow reactions by the Liverpool defence ensured they did just that. Alexis Mac Allister’s foul on Iliman Ndiaye gave Moyes’ team a free-kick near the half-way line. As Liverpool players found their man and prepared for a high ball into the box, Branthwaite slipped a quick free-kick low along the ground between Konaté and Conor Bradley. Beto was alert to the training ground routine and sprinted through to place a composed finish under Alisson.

Goodison’s noise levels cranked up to 11, somehow, but after witnessing such a well-worked goal the home crowd was soon silenced by a fairly simple equaliser. Not that the timing of Mac Allister’s run into the penalty area or cute header were by any means routine. Liverpool drew level after their first spell of composed, possession football. Hence Moyes’ objective to disrupt it from the off. The visitors won a corner, taken by Andy Robertson and cleared to Doucouré, who lost possession when attempting to lead a counterattack from the edge of the Everton area. Mac Allister sensed opportunity and ghosted into the box unmarked.

Mohamed Salah found him with a delicious cross from the right and the Argentina midfielder steered a header into the bottom corner. Jordan Pickford reacted too late.

Mac Allister was one of six players in the Liverpool match-day squad who would have missed the derby had it been played as planned on 7 December. Liverpool’s starting line-up was the first without an English player in the Premier League era.

Five first half bookings confirmed the Merseyside derby still has an edge. And that was with referee Michael Oliver displaying derby leniency and restraint. Liverpool’s ten fouls to Everton’s six in the first half also showed Slot’s warning to his team not to repeat the errors of last season’s fixture had gone unheeded.

Ndiaye left the pitch in tears having been injured following a foul from behind by Dominik Szoboszlai. The in-form Everton forward was knocked off balance by the Liverpool midfielder and may have jarred his knee when his foot caught the ground. Idrissa Gueye was fortunate to escape a second yellow card for pulling Cody Gakpo’s shirt. Oliver played a Liverpool advantage. Bradley was booked for fouling Vitalii Mykolenko off the pitch and quickly on the receiving end of some payback from Doucouré, who followed the young defender into the book. Early in the second half Oliver ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow for Mac Allister when he accidentally caught James Garner in the eye with his finger. Bradley was much luckier to stay on after tripping Doucouré. Slot knew it too and immediately signalled to Trent Alexander-Arnold to strip off. Bradley departed thanks to a substitution, and not another yellow, moments later.

As for the football, well, there was still plenty of that. Szoboszlai forced Pickford to save a low, powerful drive at full stretch in first half stoppage time. Tarkowski just did enough to prevent Luis Díaz pouncing on the rebound at the back post.

Everton continued to hassle and harry Liverpool at every turn and created two decent chances to retake the lead in the second half. Both fell to Doucouré. Both went well wide. The first was a free header from 12 yards out when Gueye broke down the right and floated an inviting cross into the centre. The midfielder steered his attempt the wrong side of Alisson’s left hand post. The second came from Tarkowski’s pass into the box. Doucouré took the shot first time but side-footed high into the Gwladys Street end.

The hosts had a penalty claim rejected by Oliver and VAR when Konaté handled while tussling with Beto inside his area. VAR also confirmed the on-field decision to disallow a Branthwaite goal for offside against Jake O’Brien at a Garner corner.

Liverpool and Salah had been relatively quiet, rarely troubling Pickford’s goal in the second half. But he only ever needs one moment to make his mark. Tarkowski did well to hook away a Díaz cross from the left but Jones, a fresh introduction from the bench, was quicker to the loose ball than O’Brien. Jones exchanged passes with fellow substitute Darwin Núñez and, though Branthwaite headed away the midfielder’s curled attempt, the clearance fell perfectly for Salah at the back post. He was never going to miss the invitation and a slice of Goodison history beckoned for the Egypt international. Tarkowski denied him, and Liverpool, with a final kick worthy of the grand old stadium.