Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister was accused of breaking two unwritten ‘rules’ surrounding playing a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

The Reds took on their local rivals Everton away from home and Jürgen Klopp’s team was not at its best in the first half. They went in at half-time 1-0 down after a Jarrad Branthwaite goal after 27 minutes. It proved a miserable evening for those on the Red side of the city as Everton ran out 2-0 winners following Dominic Calvert-Lewin's second-half header.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher certainly knows all about playing in the local derby on enemy territory. He pointed out that Liverpool players must know there are some things they simply cannot afford to do.

And he pointed the finger at midfielder Mac Allister for failing to follow those unwritten rules to stop Everton’s home fans from getting into the game and generating an atmosphere to make things more difficult for Liverpool.

Carragher said on Sky Sports at halftime: “The naivety of Liverpool in terms of how you play a derby game. Forget this Everton game, whenever you come to Goodison as a Liverpool player, there’s two or three rules that you always do.

“You don’t give silly fouls away and get the crowd up, and you move the ball on quickly and don’t let tackles come in.

“In Mac Allister in midfield, who’s been fantastic for Liverpool this season, he’s given so many fouls away and he’s taking too long on the ball. He’s allowing people to tackle him, and it lifts the crowd.”

Branthwaite’s goal came after a host of Liverpool players were unable to clear their lines from a set piece. Former Everton star Wayne Rooney felt his old club deserved to go into half-time ahead after a frantic first-half.

He said on Sky Sports: “We have seen this five or six times that Everton have won the first contact in the penalty area. Liverpool would have known this.

“This is one of Everton’s biggest threats and this goal, the way Liverpool defend this is schoolboy really. Everton have put them under pressure and have come in at half time with a deserved lead.”

Calvert-Lewin wrapped up the win from another set piece in a result which is set to prove a hammer blow to Liverpool's Premier League title hopes.