Everton's Idrissa Gueye proves his class despite Liverpool defeat
Everton star Idrissa Gueye was unfortunate to be on the losing side in the 2-1 loss to Liverpool on Sunday.
The Blues fell to defeat in heartbreaking fashion, with Virgil van Dijk bagging a 100th-minute winner for the Reds.
The result puts a dent into the Toffees' hopes of qualifying for European football and means the visitors have the bragging rights after the first Hill Dickinson Stadium derby.
Despite the result, the Senegal star was brilliant and proved his class in the midfield in the contest on 19 April.
Everton will miss him when he eventually departs, that is very clear after his showing.
How did Gueye perform in Everton loss to Liverpool?
Gueye was one of Everton's strongest performers on the pitch, and that is shown by the stats from the clash.
He completed 94 per cent of his passes, misplacing just two of his 33 attempts to find a teammate in the derby, per Sofascore.
The Senegalese star took 41 touches and only lost possession four times, and recorded 19 carries for a total distance of 123.9m.
| Gueye's stats vs Liverpool | |
| Pass accuracy | 94% |
| Touches | 41 |
| Possession lost | 4 |
| Recoveries | 4 |
| Ground duels won | 4/5(80%) |
Defensively, he made one interception, one clearance and four recoveries, as well as winning four of the five ground duels that he contested, for an 80 per cent success rate.
What does the performance mean for Gueye's future?
Gueye's future may well come under question in the near future, as he is 36 years old, and can't play as often, but he proved the doubters wrong.
He has featured 24 times in the Premier League this season, however, he was away with his country for the Africa Cup of Nations, which his nation.
His contract expires in the summer, although there is an option for the Blues to extend it by a further year, they must take that.
When he is on the pitch, he does not put a foot wrong, and his experience and leadership will be crucial in helping bring through his replacement, when he does call it quits on his time on Merseyside.
Moyes will not want to lose his influence both on the pitch and in the dressing room, as he has shown no sign of slowing down at the moment, despite his advancing age.
That was clear against Arne Slot's men.