Everton
Clattenberg Reflects on Merseyside Derby Errors That Followed His Career
Clattenberg admits derby errors, calls it his worst mistake; he lost control and faced threats. also
Eighteen years on, Mark Clattenberg has described a Merseyside derby as the defining error of his refereeing career. His account, given on the Daily Mail’s Whistleblowers podcast, revisits a match at Goodison Park that he now says exposed his unreadiness for that intensity.
“I had already been given Manchester [derby], and the north London derby the previous week. I was appointed to referee Everton-Liverpool at Goodison [Park]. I’m not using this as an excuse, but I had never experienced that type of derby before,” he told the podcast. “It was ferocious. This was a working-class derby, and I got it completely wrong.”
Clattenberg accepts the decisions that turned the fixture became the flashpoint. “I sent off two Everton players. The Everton fans thought I changed my mind because of Steven Gerrard. He walked past the camera when I was changing from a yellow to a red card… but it was always a red card for Tony Hibbert. It looked like Gerrard said something to me, and I had changed my mind. That obviously never happened. I also sent off Phil Neville for a handball on the line.
“The worst mistake I made was near the end of the game. I don’t know what was going on in my mind. Jamie Carragher pulled down Joleon Lescott for an easy penalty. If I had given it, Everton had the chance to equalise. In the eyes of Everton, I had made three big errors—all the big decisions seemed to go in Liverpool ’s favour.”
He said he “lost control” of the derby, a failure that had consequences off the field as well as on it. Clattenberg received death threats after the match and was kept off Everton games for the next six years until 2013. The referee, who made his top-flight debut in the early weeks of 2004–05 and became full-time in 2006, has since moved into television and now heads the refereeing role on the BBC revival of the gameshow Gladiators.
Bournemouth
Early returns: Premier League summer signings that have struggled so far
Early evidence suggests several costly summer signings have struggled to justify their transfer fees
More than £3 billion ($4 billion) and 155 incoming transfers set high expectations across the Premier League this summer. Several recruits have settled quickly, but others have produced worrying initial returns that have left managers and supporters asking questions.
Everton’s Thierno Barry arrived from Villarreal after a season that yielded 11 goals and four assists. The 22-year-old joined for £27 million ($36 million) with time to adapt, but he remains behind Beto, has made two Premier League starts, nine appearances in total and is still searching for his first goal or assist for the club. On two occasions he was substituted early: at half time at Anfield and after about an hour at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
West Ham’s £20 million ($26.7 million) signing Mads Hermansen began the campaign as Graham Potter’s first-choice goalkeeper but has endured a difficult start. The 25-year-old conceded 11 times in four appearances, sustained several high-profile errors and has dropped behind Alphonse Areola with Nuno Espírito Santo opting against an early recall.
Anthony Elanga moved to Newcastle for £55 million ($73.4 million) after scoring 18 goals for Nottingham Forest in 2024–25. The 23-year-old has made 10 appearances for the Magpies without a goal or assist and has oscillated between starting and the bench while competing with Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy.
Jean-Clair Todibo’s permanent move to West Ham cost £32.8 million ($43.8 million) after an obligation to buy. He has fallen out of favour following disciplinary issues under Potter and is unlikely to figure under Espírito Santo.
James Trafford returned to Manchester City for £31 million ($41.3 million) but is now behind Gianluigi Donnarumma and has been restricted to the bench following a difficult display against Tottenham Hotspur.
Alexander Isak joined Liverpool for a Premier League record £125 million ($166.9 million) but missed pre-season after a strike. Arne Slot has eased him in, using him alongside Hugo Ekitiké, with the record signing yet to reach expected levels.
Newcastle paid £55 million ($73.4 million) for Yoane Wissa from Brentford, but a knee injury means he is yet to play for his new club and has only two competitive appearances since the end of last season.
Chelsea’s £51.5 million ($68.7 million) addition Jamie Gittens has made seven appearances and three starts without making a major impact. At Liverpool, Milos Kerkez arrived for £40 million ($53.4 million) to succeed Andy Robertson but has made a sluggish start, was bullied on his debut by Antoine Semenyo and was hooked in the first half against Burnley as he edged toward a red card.
It remains early and circumstances differ across clubs, but the opening weeks have provided enough evidence to raise concerns about several high-cost recruits.
Arsenal
The Ten Summer Signings Who Have Mattered Most Early in 2025/26
After a record £3.19 billion summer, these ten signings have reshaped Premier League starts. so far.
Premier League clubs combined to spend a record £3.19 billion during the 2025 summer window, and a number of arrivals have already influenced the opening months of the 2025/26 season.
Burnley’s Jaidon Anthony arrived from Bournemouth for £8 million and has become a central outlet in Scott Parker’s attack. The former Arsenal academy player has started both as part of a front two and out wide, and his four league goals currently lead Burnley’s scoring chart.
On Tyneside, the German forward has settled quickly. With Yoane Wissa nursing a knee injury, Woltemade has started up front and brought an immediate return of three league goals in four games, one of which included an extraordinary penalty. His unusual frame and aerial improvement have been noted by supporters.
West Ham’s recruitment has offered hope under Nuno Espírito Santo. El Hadji Malick Diouf, signed from Slavia Prague, has impressed as a one-on-one defender who delivers a dangerous cross from the left. He remains an up-and-down full back with clear potential.
Tijjani Reijnders produced an outstanding Premier League debut at Molineux and has since provided moments of quality, including the assist for Erling Haaland against Arsenal in September.
Martín Zubimendi was an early target for Mikel Arteta and has gradually displayed his class in the holding role. After a slow debut, he has shown his passing range and even contributed a memorable goal against Nottingham Forest.
Hugo Ekitiké has been arguably the most convincing of Liverpool’s summer recruits. The former Eintracht Frankfurt forward scored on his opening games against Bournemouth and Newcastle and has shown a willingness to drop in and combine, even if his league scoring has slowed in recent fixtures.
João Palhinha’s loan at Tottenham has been a robust addition. Thomas Frank leans on him heavily and the Portuguese midfielder leads Spurs with just over five combined tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.
Sunderland’s Robin Roefs arrived from NEC Nijmegen, took the No.1 spot in preseason and has been a reliable shot-stopper. Only Dean Henderson has prevented more goals, and Roefs ranks fourth for success when attempting to claim the high ball.
Finally, Jack Grealish’s loan to Everton has begun well. He is joint-top of the assist charts and produced a last-gasp finish to end Crystal Palace’s 18-game unbeaten run before the international break.
Everton
Slot rejects timewasting allegation after Merseyside derby
Arne Slot rejected timewasting claims after Everton’s 58th-minute goal and Grealish’s comments. 2025
Liverpool manager Arne Slot dismissed suggestions from Everton forward Jack Grealish that the visitors were justified in accusing the Reds of timewasting during last weekend’s Merseyside derby.
Slot acknowledged the game was physically demanding. “The second half was more difficult because of Everton of course, but also because we ran a bit out of energy.” The contest swung in Everton’s favour when Grealish delivered a high cross to the back post and Iliman Ndiaye brought it down for Idrissa Gueye to blast beyond Alisson in the 58th minute, halving the deficit and raising tension at Anfield.
Everton were left frustrated by several refereeing decisions, with Grealish openly questioning the officiating. “The stoppage time, three minutes and one minute—I’ve never seen that in the Premier League in the last two or three years,” he lamented, insisting that Liverpool “were obviously trying to slow the game down.” He also highlighted a booking for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and the amount of added time as key grievances.
Slot answered those claims directly on Monday, arguing the added time was appropriate and that suggestions of deliberate delay were misplaced. “A lot has been said about the added time against Everton but I would have loved to play 34 seconds more because we were in a five-v-two situation at that moment,” he said.
He expanded on the point in a longer response, outlining his view of Liverpool’s intent. “Now that tells you, I think, all about the mentality we have, always wanting to score a goal. The three minutes were completely correct because there were only three moments where a substitution was made.
“There was no timewasting because that’s not what we do and there was no treatment of injuries, one goal scored. Then you come to three [minutes]. Where in many other games when we need a goal, there’s a lot, a lot, a lot of timewasting going on, I can tell you.”
The exchange underlined the intensity of the derby and the contrasting perspectives from both camps after a pivotal 58th-minute strike altered the course of the match.
