Referee was taken off usual duties after Everton vs Liverpool chaos saw four red cards

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Everton and Liverpool drew 2-2 the last time the Toffees hosted a Merseyside derby, but the scoreline didn't tell the whole story as four people were shown red cards

Arne Slot and Michael Oliver after last season's Merseyside derby at Goodison Park(Image: Tom Jenkins)

Today sees Liverpool take on Everton at the Toffees' new stadium for the first time since David Moyes' men moved to their Bramley Moore Dock base.

There is more than local pride at stake, too, with both clubs battling to qualify for the Champions League next season.

The Reds are five points ahead of Everton, but a victory for the blue half of the city would see that gap narrow to just two points, with five games of the season remaining.

Today's game is also the first Merseyside derby that Everton has hosted since last season's dramatic 2-2 draw, which ended with four men being shown a red card.

James Tarkowski sent Goodison Park into pandemonium with an injury-time volley to level the score, but that was not the end of the drama as Abdoulaye Doucoure and Curtis Jones were both given their marching orders after the final whistle.

Both men were shown yellow cards for their reactions after the final whistle, as Jones shoved Doucoure to spark a mini melee after the Everton midfielder had taunted the Liverpool fans in the away end after the final whistle.

Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were also shown red cards following the final whistle after exchanging angry words with referee Michael Oliver after the game.

Slot was later handed a two-game suspension and a £70,000 ($95,000) fine, while both clubs were also fined.

Oliver did not referee a Premier League game during the following round of fixtures, and was instead handed VAR responsibilities for a game between Aston Villa and Ipswich Town.