Anthony Gordon believes the character Everton showed in Sunday’s 240th Merseyside derby shows the Blues have the stomach for the fight ahead of their final six Premier League games of the season.
Everton performed with commitment, bravery and discipline throughout the Anfield contest – nullifying Liverpool’s attack for extended periods and consistently breaking forward with speed and purpose.
The Blues were ultimately left with no points to show for their efforts, however, with second-half goals from Andy Robertson and Divock Origi earning the home team victory.
Everton’s courageous display was epitomised by the electric Gordon, who blended skill and dynamism with a ferocious work-rate.
He caused Liverpool all manner of problems during the 90 minutes and came close to giving the Toffees the lead early in the second half when he shot just wide following a typically penetrative dart into the final third.
He also twice saw penalty appeals waved away after challenges by Naby Keita and Joel Matip in the box.
Gordon said: “We showed really good character and we stuck in there.
“We dug in and stuck to our game plan. I don’t think they had a shot on target in the first half.
“That shows how good we were defensively. We’ll be looking to do that for the rest of the season now.
“It was a tough game. There were a few instances where I could have had a penalty, in my opinion. Sometimes things go against you.
“The second one, for me, was the strongest claim because the defender [Matip] stood on my foot.
“I’ve got the better of him and he stood on my foot, which caused me severe pain and I’ve gone down.
“For the first one, I felt contact. I can see why he hasn’t given it after looking at a few angles, but it’s certainly not a yellow card because it’s not a dive. I felt contact.
“It’s really frustrating because, when you come here against a team fighting at the top of the league, you need stuff like that to go for you.”
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Gordon says replicating the determination and spirit shown in the derby clash will be key to Everton earning the required points to preserve their Premier League status.
The Blues return to action next Sunday when Chelsea visit Goodison Park (2pm BST).
Successive away games follow at Leicester City and Watford before a home double-header against Brentford and Crystal Palace. Everton will conclude their season in the capital when they take on Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.
“We can't fault our effort [against Liverpool],” Gordon added.
“It's a tough place to come. It was a good performance for a lot of the game.
“The plan was just to make it difficult for them – to take them out of their comfort zone and hopefully take our chances. I had a couple of chances where I feel could have done better. I'll work on that and definitely improve.
“We have to give our all and fight. We are very aware of where we are. There’s only one thing to do and that is keep going and stick together."
