Liverpool secured a crucial 2-1 victory against Everton in the Merseyside derby on Saturday, bolstered by standout performances from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike. Liverpool’s win, highly deserved let me say, bounced them past a now-familiar five-game winning streak of Premier League wins. With this victory, they pulled six points clear in first place of the table as well.
Liverpool had a great first half, completely controlling the flow of the game. Rhian Gravenberch opened the scoring with a cracker, getting Belgium off to an early start in the 10th minute. Mohamed Salah found Gravenberch perfectly with a long, accurate cross. Ruthless and technical, Gravenberch scored on the half-volley with Everton’s keeper, Jordan Pickford, powerless to prevent it. The young midfielder’s goal was his third goal in only five Premier League appearances this season.
Ekitike was involved in Liverpool’s second goal, with the forward helping Gravenberch with a deft touch to roll the ball through Pickford’s legs. This play showcased Ekitike’s awareness and skill, contributing to Liverpool’s commanding performance in the opening 45 minutes.
Even with their promising introduction to the game, Liverpool struggled after the break. When Everton were able to pull one back, it created a highly charged atmosphere inside the stadium with Liverpool now looking to protect their lead. Even the home side had been through the wringer in this still-young season. Not to mention the fact that they almost squandered two-goal leads to Bournemouth, Newcastle, and Atletico Madrid.
Fatigue appeared to impact Liverpool’s performance, as they played this match just over 60 hours after Virgil van Dijk’s stoppage-time winner against Atletico. The short turnaround likely took a toll on Liverpool’s legs in the second half. They stood strong and won the victory against the odds.
Liverpool’s XI was notable for the return of Alexis MacAllister alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Gravenberch in midfield. Everton’s new boss David Moyes continued the theme of struggle at Anfield. He’s never won on 23 separate visits as an opposition coach. This is now a new record for the longest any Premier League manager has gone without a win at one ground.
