Clinical edge, fraught finish: Liverpool hold off Everton in a gripping Merseyside derby

Liverpool made it five wins from five in their Premier League title defence, edging a tense 2-1 Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield. Ryan Gravenberch’s instinctive 10th‑minute finish from Mohamed Salah’s delivery set the tone before the Dutchman turned provider for Hugo Ekitiké to sweep in a second before the half-hour.

Everton were transformed after the interval and halved the deficit when Jack Grealish’s back‑post cross was cushioned by Iliman Ndiaye for Idrissa Gueye to thump beyond Alisson on 58 minutes. From then on the visitors asked most of the questions, but Arne Slot’s champions clung on to preserve perfection and remain clear at the top.

Early incision from Slot’s champions

Everton began with a cautious, compact approach, dropping deep and placing bodies behind the ball whenever Liverpool advanced. The hosts monopolised possession and the breakthrough felt inevitable. It arrived inside 10 minutes when Salah’s bouncing delivery found Gravenberch breaking between lines; with expert technique he hooked his finish past Jordan Pickford.

There were flickers of an Everton response in that opening spell. Beto hassled Liverpool’s centre-backs and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall fired wide after neat interplay with Grealish, reminders that chances at Anfield must be taken. Liverpool’s ruthlessness soon told again. Gravenberch spotted a gap between the left centre-back and full-back and threaded a precision pass for Ekitiké, who slid his shot under Pickford to make it 2-0.

Grealish ignites the comeback hopes

David Moyes’ side emerged after the break with greater ambition. The wingers pushed higher, and Grealish repeatedly drove at Conor Bradley to expose Liverpool’s vulnerability down that flank. One surge produced the moment Everton craved: Grealish’s clipped cross reached the unmarked Ndiaye at the far post, and the forward unselfishly teed up Gueye, whose rising drive gave Alisson no chance.

The goal injected belief. Grealish’s dribbling drew a string of fouls as Liverpool struggled to control territory, while Ndiaye’s direct running forced the champions towards their own goal. Anfield grew nervy; there was none of the late flourish Liverpool have often relied upon this season, only resolve as they defended their box and saw out a fraught finale.

Selection calls underline Liverpool’s depth

Slot illustrated Liverpool’s resources by leaving Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak—summer arrivals worth a combined £241m—on the bench until the second half. Isak was introduced late for his league debut in search of a settling third goal. Yet Ekitiké, a £70m signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, again showed why he fits the central role, timing his runs and finishing with the decisiveness Liverpool needed.

Gravenberch, reinstated alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, dictated rhythm and provided thrust. His early strike was Liverpool’s earliest home goal since September 2023, and his composure on the ball helped contain Everton until energy levels dipped after the break. It was selection vindication that also posed longer‑term questions about how Slot balances an attack brimming with options.

Fine margins, familiar questions

The champions were clinical rather than rampant, registering only three shots on target but scoring with two of them. It was enough—just. Liverpool again looked susceptible when opponents isolate their full-backs, and they conceded control for long spells of the second half. But when Everton turned to Thierno Barry at the interval, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté largely kept the substitute at arm’s length.

Encouragement for Everton came with a caveat. They fashioned promising situations but did not test Alisson as often as their second‑half superiority suggested they might. Frustration showed at the end—Moyes was unhappy that only three minutes of added time were signalled—but the broader takeaway was of a team on an upward trajectory lacking, for now, a top‑end No 9.

What it means and what’s next

Liverpool have five consecutive league wins for the first time under Slot and go six points clear at the top, even as their performances remain a work in progress while summer additions bed in. The resolve to close out tight games is serving them well while the fluency develops.

Next up, Liverpool host Southampton in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, 23 September at 20:00 BST before travelling to Crystal Palace on Saturday, 27 September at 15:00 BST. Everton visit Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, 23 September at 19:45 BST, then face West Ham United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday, 29 September at 20:00.