Team
There were four changes to the line-up that secured the late, late Champions League win against Atletico Madrid three days earlier.
Ekitike, Alexis Mac Allister, Conor Bradley and Milos Kerkez were the quartet that returned to the hosts' starting XI.
Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister (Jones, 61), Salah, Bradley, Gakpo (Wirtz, 61), Ekitike (Isak, 67), Gravenberch.
Unused subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Robertson, Frimpong, Ngumoha.
Ryan Gravenberch scored one goal and set up another, becoming the youngest player to do both in a Merseyside derby, as Liverpool continued their winning start to the Premier League season by beating Everton 2-1 at Anfield.
The Reds made a rampaging start at Anfield, hitting the front through Gravenberch’s cute finish in the 10th minute.
Hugo Ekitike – preferred to Alexander Isak in the starting XI – doubled Liverpool’s lead in the 29th minute, slotting in after more excellent work from Gravenberch.
Having relied on late goals to win their previous matches this season, Liverpool might have feared they would need to create more last-gasp magic when Idrissa Gueye dragged Everton back into it in the 58th minute.
Instead, though, Arne Slot’s team kept their local rivals at arm’s length as the table-toppers made it five wins from five to start their title defence.
How the match unfolded
Liverpool might have made a habit of late drama this season, but they needed little time to get going as Gravenberch expertly hooked over Jordan Pickford after meeting Mohamed Salah’s inviting cross.
Jack Grealish flexed his creative muscles in the 27th minute, selling Gravenberch for a dummy before feeding Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, but he lashed off target.
The Toffees were swiftly made to pay for that profligacy. Gravenberch turned from scorer to provider with a superb pass to release Ekitike, who coolly picked out the bottom-left corner.
Yet Everton’s reward for a much-improved display after the interval came in the 58th minute, as Iliman Ndiaye cushioned back Grealish’s cross for Gueye to slam home.
Isak came on for his Premier League bow for Liverpool in the 67th minute, though it was another substitute – Florian Wirtz – who might have put the game to bed if not for a last-ditch James Tarkowski tackle, before Grealish blocked Ibrahima Konate’s goal-bound header.
David Moyes introduced Tyler Dibling and Carlos Alcaraz as Everton piled on the pressure late on, but a wild Grealish volley was the closest they came to a dramatic equaliser.
More derby delight for Liverpool
Slot had been enthused by Isak’s debut against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, though the Dutchman had warned the Sweden international would only be able to feature for limited minutes this time around, so it was not particularly surprising to see Liverpool’s new No 9 start on the bench.
It was slightly more of a shock to see Wirtz drop out of Slot’s starting XI, though Liverpool hardly suffered for those changes.
Given more of a licence to push forward, Gravenberch showed what he can do in an attacking sense during Liverpool’s rampant first-half showing.
His clever lob was exceptional, and came from the Reds’ first attempt, even if the pressure had been building. And moments after he was evaded by Grealish down Liverpool’s right flank in the build up to Dewsbury-Hall’s chance, Gravenberch provided a neat assist for Ekitike, who continued his superb start to life on Merseyside.
However, Liverpool’s vulnerability when in the lead came back to bite them again as they started the second half sluggishly. But Slot will no doubt be pleased with how his side regained a measure of control, with the Reds having now won their last five home derbies.
Next up is another home game, against Southampton in the EFL Cup, with a trip to Crystal Palace following in the league.
Toffees again come unstuck at Anfield
There has been a sense of optimism about Everton in recent weeks. Much of that positivity has centred around a much-improved attacking unit, with Grealish, Ndiaye and Dewsbury-Hall all in strong form, even if the striker options ahead of them – Beto and Thierno Barry – have struggled to get into their groove.
Even in a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa last week, Everton were the dominant force, but as has often been the case at Anfield – where David Moyes has never won a Premier League game – the Toffees could not replicate the level they have displayed against other teams, at least in the first half.
Vitalii Mykolenko’s return from injury meant James Garner went back into midfield, but Everton’s central trio was cut apart during Liverpool’s dominant opening 30 minutes.
It took until first-half stoppage time for Everton to have a shot on target, with Gueye’s scuffed effort causing little trouble for Alisson. But Gueye made no mistake when presented with his next opportunity.
Everton turned in a much better second-half performance, and the frustration for Moyes will be that his changes could not capitalise on Liverpool’s drop-off, and the Toffees will now hope to get back to winning ways when they take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in the EFL Cup.
