'At its absolute best' - Man Utd legend's stunning verdict on Goodison Park atmosphere after Everton win

Gary Neville hailed Goodison Park and called it one of the last ‘great grounds’ of English football following Everton’s stunning win over Liverpool.

Goals from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin saw Everton simultaneously almost end Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes as well as move eight points clear of Luton Town in 18th in one foul swoop. It was a perfect night for Sean Dyche as Everton earned a rare Merseyside Derby win.

What was most extraordinary was the sheer noise that was generated from the Goodison faithful, as the 39,572 strong crowd filled the famous 132-year-old stadium with a blaring cacophony of sound. It’s almost if the frustrations of the season, the highs, the lows, the point deductions and takeover holdups were all let out in a chasm of noise that lasted beyond the 90 minutes - and Neville was taken aback from what he had experienced as he hailed the home crowd’s support on a now-famous night.

“I first came to this stadium 30 years ago and I’ve seen this stadium at its best; I once got sent off here and Paul Scholes did too late on in the game and we lost and the atmosphere was incredible and it was a night game.” He told Peter Drury on his Sky Sports podcast.

“But when you lost here the atmosphere was special. This gantry is the only one left in the league that shakes when the crowd behind us jumps and go crazy and the fact that we’re not going to be in this crowd witnessing these types of atmosphere - that’s what I felt towards the last part of the game.

“The idea that this great old ground that obviously needs modernising they need to go to their new ground but this is one of the last great grounds in the Premier League. It’s been around such a long time, I’ve played here so many times and it has been at it’s absolute best tonight.”

That was Everton’s 84th victory over Liverpool across it’s 295-game history and it marked just their second win since 2010 and it could certainly stand against any of those past wins for the sheer joy and passion from the fans on the now-famous April night.