• Liverpool move 12 points clear at top of Premier League
  • Diogo Jota scores Merseyside derby's only goal
  • Beto had first half goal disallowed for Everton & hit post

Liverpool restored a 12-point advantage at the top of the Premier League as they earned a 1-0 win over Everton at Anfield.

Diogo Jota's second-half strike proved the difference in a typically hard-fought Merseyside derby that also saw Beto have a goal disallowed and strike the post for the visitors.

Three points ensured the Reds responded to victory for second-placed Arsenal over Fulham on Tuesday and earned them the local bragging rights once again.

How the game unfolded

Liverpool made a promising start to proceedings as Ibrahima Konate headed a corner over when he might have done better less than three minutes in.

And the Reds felt they should have been handed a man advantage moments later, James Tarkowski catching Alexis Mac Allister on the shin in clearing the ball somewhat recklessly, though a VAR review concluded a yellow card was sufficient.

However, Everton began to grow into the contest, causing chaos with long balls up to the willing Abdoulaye Doucoure and Beto.

The latter thought he had put the Toffees ahead in poking home through Caoimhin Kelleher's legs at the Kop end, but the linesman's flag was quickly up to signal a marginal offside.

And the Guinea-Bissau international was left ruing his luck again when he struck the inside of the post with Kelleher beaten after capitalising on a Virgil van Dijk mistake.

The half-time break offered Arne Slot a chance to change the flow of the game, and Liverpool did indeed respond in starting the second 45 much better.

Ryan Gravenberch forced a Jordan Pickford save from distance, before Luis Diaz caused chaos in the Everton box after seeing a shot box.

And the breakthrough finally came in the 57th minute, Jota winning the ball back high up, exchanging passes with Diaz, and then dribbling inside before rifling a shot home.

With Liverpool happy to sit on their lead and control the game from there, David Moyes rolled the dice in throwing on Iliaman Ndiaye, Armando Broja, Ashley Young and Tim Iroegbunam.

But Everton could not add to their sole shot of the half, which came from Jack Harrison in the 52nd minute, as the hosts saw out a win that was greeted in joyous fashion