Everton fans chant 'sack the board' after 4-1 hammering by Liverpool

Everton were deserted by their fans on Wednesday night after Liverpool ran amok and registered their most emphatic win at Goodison Park in almost 40 years.

Thousands streamed out of the stadium, long before the end of Liverpool’s 4-1 triumph – the biggest drubbing they have given to Everton since Ian Rush scored four times in a 5-0 win in November 1982. Rafa Benitez, the club’s under pressure manager, looked numb at the end.

But chants of 'sack the board' came from the Gwladys Street, Everton’s most vocal stand, while supporters around the Directors Box vented their anger at Chairman Bill Kenwright and Marcel Brands, the Director of Football. Farhad Moshiri, the club’s major shareholder, was noticeably absent.

There was a couple of unsavoury moments during the game, when objects were thrown onto the pitch. Everton face Arsenal on Monday in a game of huge importance but Benitez insists the situation can be turned around.

Benitez said: ‘I still have confidence team will do well, we need to bring players back. We have to learn we can't make these kind of mistakes, we can be ready if we learn from that for the next game.

‘I think anyone who could see the game we made too many mistakes. When you make too many mistakes against a top side you're not going to win. After the second goal our reaction was very good, the fans were pushing as soon as we scored the goal and the atmosphere was really good. We started the second half well, started on top but another mistake changed the game.’

Jurgen Klopp, by contrast, was delighted with Liverpool’s performance and the control they showed. Jordan Henderson opened the scoring before Mohamed Salah’s double and another from Diogo Jota and they really could have scored more.

Klopp said: ‘The two derbies for us against Everton and (Manchester) United are big games and we have to learn to keep ourselves calm and together if you like.

We have to play our best football because I told the boys whatever had happened in the past [is the past] but to be 100 per cent honest, there were not a lot of derbies at Goodison where I thought: 'ah, we played a great game. Really perfect'.

‘So there is some space for improvement and I wanted us to be really mature today. Aggressive? Yes, but in a football way. Angry as well, but in a football way.’

Liverpool have now scored more than 60 goals in their 21 competitive matches and Thierry Henry, who was a pundit on Amazon, said: ‘For me they are on a different planet. Not just them but the other two at the top who are in a rhythm.

At one point everyone in the crowd they (Everton) could do something and when they gave that gift unfortunately for the captain, Coleman, it all went south. But they are on a different planet, four against Arsenal, four against Southampton, four tonight, they're playing Wolverhampton they can already put four on the board.’