Pickford Reveals Extra Injury Time Before Tarkowski’s Equalizer Against Liverpool
Jordan Pickford has confirmed that referee Michael Oliver added two and a half minutes to stoppage time at Goodison Park before James Tarkowski’s dramatic late goal secured a draw for Everton against Liverpool.
Everton had been trailing 2-1 after goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah canceled out Beto’s opener, but Tarkowski struck in the 98th minute to level the score, sparking wild celebrations.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were both shown red cards after the final whistle following heated protests over the late equalizer.
Pickford Denies “Overtime” Claims
Speaking to *TNT Sports*, Pickford dismissed suggestions that extra time was unfairly played, revealing a conversation he had with Oliver after a collision between Jarrad Branthwaite and Carlos Alcaraz led to an extension of stoppage time.
“When Jarrad and Carlos went down, I asked the ref, ‘How long is left?’ and he said ’97 and a half.’ We scored at 97:26, so there was no extra time added,” Pickford explained.
A Vital Point for Everton
Pickford highlighted the significance of the result, saying:
“It was a huge point for us and the fans. The derby was always going to be intense, but we kept pushing for all 97 minutes. We played well and deserved the draw.”
Reflecting on the atmosphere, he added:
“We knew a 2-1 loss would have been tough to take, but getting a point in the final Goodison derby was important. Now, we have to stay focused as we prepare to face Liverpool at Anfield in a few weeks.”
