Liverpool shot themselves in the foot just 10 minutes after the first whistle during Wednesday night’s Merseyside Derby.
The Reds knew they’d be facing a raucous Goodison Park as the old Everton ground prepared to welcome their neighbours for the final time.
Liverpool’s plan would likely have been to quieten the crowd early on and take the sting out of proceedings.
In the end, though, they rather did the opposite. Michael Oliver awarded a questionable free-kick, but the Reds did not defend it. Beto ran through to give Everton the lead.
It was a sucker-punch for Liverpool. But just minutes later they were level. Alexis Mac Allister was the man penalised for the free-kick and he was fittingly the one who rose highest to get the equaliser.
The perfect response from Liverpool, no doubt. And watching on, former Reds striker Michael Owen hailed the finish from Mac Allister.
Michael Owen praises Alexis Mac Allister finish
Having gone behind early doors at Goodison, Liverpool supporters may have begun to get a feeling of deja vu.
Their team were equally hit away at their neighbours last season and never fully recovered. The same could not be allowed to happen again.
Thankfully, Mac Allister was on hand to ensure that the lively Goodison crowd could not get a foothold at 1-0 up.
It was a great goal, too. Having won the ball from Abdoulaye Doucoure, Mac Allister drifted in and got on the end of a terrific ball in from Salah. 1-1.
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“This is some header,” Own raved on punditry for premierleague.com.
“It is the only place in the goal he could score. He is stretching with every sinew to help it on. He can’t get any power so it is a perfect finish. A great goal.”
Mac Allister leads with his head
Mac Allister may be one of the smallest players on the pitch in any given game, but it was not a surprise to see him get his head on Salah’s cross.
As per BBC Sport just after his goal, each of Mac Allister’s last three goals have each been scored with his head.
“Each of Alexis Mac Allister’s last three Premier League goals have all been headed – only one of his first 20 in the competition were headed before this,” the outlet report.
Ever the man for the big occasion, Liverpool know they can rely on Mac Allister with the ball at his feet. That he’s now adding heading prowess to his bow is bad news for opponents.
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