The game started with the Kop en fete. The flags flew. The one that shows all the European Cup and Champions League winning managers. The one that commemorates Diogo Jota and his brother, the one that proclaims ‘Eee Aye Addio, We’re the Champs’.
There was a tribute to Joey Jones, too, one of the club heroes who brought the club its first European Cup in 1977 and who died recently. ‘Joey ate the frogs’ legs,’ the famous old banner said, ‘made the Swiss roll, now he’s munching Gladbach.’
And most enthusiastically of all, the Liverpool fans taunted the Evertonians who had packed into their section in the Anfield Road End. ‘Since 1995,’ they sang with gusto, ‘you haven’t won a trophy since 1995.’
And for the first half, that triumphalism survived. Not for much longer after that, though. Liverpool may have made a name for themselves for scoring stoppage time winners but on this occasion, they feared that they would be on the wrong end of a comeback.
By the end, Liverpool’s fans were racked with nerves, whistling for the end, protecting a 2-1 lead and watching Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai trying to keep possession in the corner to stifle hopes of that late equaliser.
They had gone ahead with fine goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike but allowed an Everton inspired by Jack Grealish to get back into the game after the interval. Idrissa Gueye pulled one back but they could not force the equaliser. Liverpool lasted out in the end.
Ryan Gravenberch scored fine opener for Liverpool as they survived a scare to beat Everton
Hugo Ekitike added a second early on before Arne Slot’s side started to struggle in the derby
They now have five wins from five in the Premier League and whatever anyone else does this weekend, Arne Slot’s team will be top at the end of it. Their decisive goal came in the 29th minute, more than 60 minutes earlier than their average winner this season, but they all bring Liverpool the same thing: three points.
They still did not look hugely convincing in this 247th Merseyside derby. They were impressive in the first half but, yet again, they faded after the interval. Florian Wirtz, the lavish summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, was left on the bench and when he came on, he still looked like a man adrift.
Liverpool have more work to do to advance his assimilation. Alexander Isak came on for his Premier League debut midway through the second period and his contribution was fitful, too. The scary part for the rest of the league is that Liverpool keep on winning. And they are only going to get better.
Everton played well but will take little solace in a record that says they are yet to win at Anfield in front of a crowd in this century. Their manager, David Moyes, has now failed in all of his 23 attempts, with a number of clubs, to win a game at Liverpool’s home.
Liverpool went ahead after 10 minutes. Iliman Ndiaye overran the ball and was dispossessed by a fine sliding tackle from Cody Gakpo. Liverpool worked the ball to the other end, Salah lifted a delicate pass over Michael Keane and into the path of Ryan Gravenberch, who used the momentum of the ball to turn and hook it across Jordan Pickford and into the net.
Everton dug in and tried to respond. Grealish had been shackled well by Conor Bradley but, midway through the half, he finally escaped. Marked by Gravenberch, Grealish tricked him with a sublime feint and set off down the left. He slipped a ball inside to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall but Dewsbury-Hall fired wide when he should have done better.
Moyes’s side quickly rued that missed chance. Close to half an hour had gone when they surrendered the ball again in midfield and Mac Allister moved it quickly forwards to Gravenberch, who fed Ekitike. Ekitike was on it in a flash and rifled it past Pickford. It was swift and clinical and Everton had no answer.
But after the break, Everton finally managed to get Grealish on the ball more and he grew in influence. Thirteen minutes into the second half, he skipped past Bradley on the outside and floated a cross to the back post. Ndiaye touched it into the path of Gueye and Gueye lashed a rising drive high across Alisson and into the net.
Jack Grealish impressed for Everton as he continues to enjoy life since his move from Manchester City
David Moyes has now failed to win the Merseyside derby in 23 attempts as a manager
The atmosphere inside Anfield grew nervous and fractious. The certainty and assuredness of Liverpool’s first half had gone. Now they were more hesitant. Now they surrendered possession carelessly. Now it was Everton who smelled the scent of possibility.
Slot responded. He brought on Wirtz, wide on the left and Isak in quick succession but it did little to stem Everton’s momentum. The crowd grumbled when Wirtz backed out of a challenge with Dewsbury-Hall. The mood of triumphalism had disappeared.
Grealish was soon making a contribution at the other end. When Ibrahima Konate directed a powerful header towards goal from a corner, Grealish even made defending ache with panache. He chested the ball down nonchalantly, let it bounce in the six-yard box and then heaved it away.
Everton continued to hold sway but could not force a late equaliser in the way they did so memorably in Goodison Park’s final Merseyside Derby last season. There was no late goal for Liverpool, either. For the first time in a while, they did not need one.
