Liverpool are now 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League after grinding out a tight 1-0 win over Everton in another classic Merseyside derby. The Toffees’ nine-match unbeaten run came to a crashing halt, and it was a result that put Liverpool closer to reclaiming the title.
From the get-go, you knew it was going to be a fiery one. In the first 10 minutes, James Tarkowski made sure to get in on the action early, taking out Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister with a reckless challenge. It was a high one, right on the calf, and yet somehow, the ref only handed him a yellow after a VAR review. You could feel the frustration from the Anfield crowd—they were expecting more for that tackle.
Everton almost took the lead soon after when Tarkowski, in a rare moment of good play, slid a perfect pass through to Beto, who slotted it home—only for the linesman to raise his flag. It was offside, and that was a lucky break for Liverpool. But Everton had another big chance. Beto was clean through, thanks to Abdoulaye Doucouré’s great pass, but his shot slammed off the post, and you could almost see the Toffees’ hopes fading right there.
In the second half, Liverpool finally made their luck count. Just 15 minutes after the break, Diogo Jota latched onto a loose ball in the box, sidestepped a couple of defenders, and fired a shot that sent the Kop wild. That was the moment Liverpool needed, and Everton never really recovered from that.
They did get a bit of a boost with Iliman Ndiaye coming back from injury, but even his return couldn’t shake things up for Everton. As the game wound down, Luis Díaz nearly sealed the win, but Tarkowski made a last-ditch block to deny him a second goal for Liverpool.
In the end, Liverpool held on to their lead and kept their unbeaten league run alive for 26 games, while Everton’s hopes of getting anything from both derbies this season went up in smoke. Another massive win for Klopp’s side, and a painful defeat for the Toffees.