Liverpool 0-1 Everton
by James Nalton
at Anfield

LIVERPOOL head coach Matt Beard didn’t think his side deserved to lose the Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday and believes they were on the end of some “embarrassing” officiating.

Liverpool looked like they had taken the lead early on in the game when Missy Bo Kearns found the net in front of the Kop, but the assistant referee had raised her flag for offside.

The players celebrated the goal, not hearing the whistle amid the noise in Anfield, where 23,088 spectators packed the Kop and Sir Kenny Dalglish stands.

Replays showed Kearns was onside, but there is no VAR in the Women’s Super League so the goal could not be checked.

Shortly after that early disallowed strike, a Ceri Holland effort was tipped into the bar by Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan.

“I’m frustrated because I feel we started the game well,” said Beard. “We’ve had a perfectly good goal disallowed which is frustrating because it completely changes the dynamic of the game.

“I’m disappointed with how we lost control of the game. There are too many turnovers which allows them to get a bit of a foothold.

“We should have defended the goal better, but then we should have had a free kick in the buildup to that goal.”

The goal Beard speaks of came from Everton’s Megan Finnigan, headed in at the far post from a Katrine Veje corner with just over half an hour gone.

Liverpool were chasing the game from then on, but despite the occasional threatening moment, especially towards the end, they couldn’t replicate those early good chances.

“The officiating has had an impact on the result, definitely,” added Beard. “I’m sick to death of it, to be honest with you.

“It’s not just me, everyone says it, but it is what it is.

“You’ve got foul throws being taken in front of us live on Sky Sports. You’ve got the fourth official telling the referee it’s a foul throw, not being acted upon. I just think it’s embarrassing really.”