Liverpool fans appeared to get some revenge on Everton as the Toffees bid farewell to Goodison Park on Sunday.
The Reds’ rivals will of course be moving into their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock next season, with the Toffees playing their final men’s game at Goodison as they beat already-relegated Southampton 2-0. The iconic ground will remain open, with Everton’s women’s team set to take up residence from next season.
It proved to be a highly emotional day on the blue half of Merseyside, with Liverpool paying its own classy tribute to Goodison ahead of Sunday’s swansong – although it seems some Reds supporters managed to get one final cheeky dig in for their neighbors.
With fans crowding around the ground from the early hours of the morning, the streets around Goodison were a sea of blue as supporters let off flares before kick-off.
However, pictures and videos posted online show it wasn’t all blue. Among the Everton supporters, red smoke was visible in one area, likely from a flare.
It comes after some Liverpool fans were apparently pranked into buying blue flares ahead of last month’s game against Tottenham, in which Arne Slot’s side secured the Premier League title.
It’s not clear whether the red flares around Goodison were set off by Liverpool supporters, or if any Everton fans mistakenly let them off themselves, but the Reds faithful do seem to have got some revenge after their rivals’ prank.
In anticipation of a historic afternoon at Goodison, Liverpool took to social media with a heartfelt post, featuring a poignant black-and-white photo of Reds supporters extending gratitude to their Evertonian neighbours after the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989.
The image displayed a banner from Liverpool fans directed at their neighbours, stating: “The Kop thanks you all. We never walked alone.”
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Accompanying the evocative photograph, Liverpool shared the message: “An historic stadium, a place where we have fought against one another and stood with each other. Highs, lows and so many memories.
“The end of an era at Goodison Park and the beginning of a new one.”
The message was also accompanied by various other pictures in the replies from Merseyside derby meetings from over the years, as well as an aerial view of Anfield and Goodison Park separated by Stanley Park.
On Friday, it was announced that the Reds will make their way to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the forthcoming season’s Merseyside derby, following the disclosure of a naming rights deal struck by Everton.
