Everton recorded a first top-flight win at rival ground Anfield for the first time in this century as Jurgen Klopp’s embattled Liverpool FC outfit was in store for further distress, suffering a fourth successive defeat in Premier League football on Saturday fresh on the back of a solid showing in Champions League action against Leipzig.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees got off to the best of starts when Richarlison opened the scoring for the Merseyside Blues and despite regaining momentum on attacking avenues throughout the match, Klopp’s men were unable to break down a hard-looking Everton backline.
The Anfield showdown was put to bed through Gylfi Sigurdsson’s spot-kick conversion in the final ten minutes of the game and Liverpool FC look towards what is a much-needed ray of hope of getting the defending champions up and running again at this juncture of the campaign.
MATCH PROCEEDINGS
The visitors delivered the opening blow to the Reds through last derby’s villain Richarlision turning hero for his side, getting himself at the end of a pass played through by James Rodriguez in behind the Liverpool FC defence.
Richarlison’s finish was apt enough to get the better of his compatriot, Alisson Becker, in the Liverpool FC goal and gave the Toffees a well-earned lead inside the opening five minutes of the weekend clash on Merseyside.
Liverpool FC’s tempo was subsequently raised following them going behind and the Reds strived for an equaliser, only for Jordan Pickford to stand tall between the sticks on the other end of the Anfield pitch.
Jordan Henderson caught the ball beautifully on the volley and looked all set to put his team back into the reckoning but Pickford’s save was as tremendous as the strike delivered by the Liverpool FC skipper.
Never-ending worries on the injury front for the Merseyside Reds was meant to have an addition in the form of Henderson around the half-hour mark as the 30-year-old had to be withdrawn off the pitch with a muscle issue.
Nat Phillips and Ozan Kabak are #LFC's 18th centre-back partnership of the season.
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) February 20, 2021
Nat Phillips took Henderson’s spot in the heart of the backline alongside Ozan Kabak in what was the 18th centre-back pairing utilised by Jurgen Klopp for Liverpool FC over the course of this 2020-21 season.
Seamus Coleman’s header could have created more trouble for an already mobilized Reds when the Irish defender got himself at the end of a cross from fellow full-back Lucas Digne but Alisson’s save meant that Jurgen Klopp’s side went into the half time break with just one goal behind their Merseyside foes.
The second half started well for the hosts as Sadio Mane looked to threaten the Everton backline on two separate occasions, with his first effort just going inches wide off the goal and the second attempt being subject to brilliant defiance from Michael Keane.
Brough off the bench to revitalise his side’s attacking endeavours, Xherdan Shaqiri slipped through a neat pass for Mohammad Salah to chase after and the Egyptian looked certain to find the back of the net but Pickford’s heroic showing continued as the England international kept out Salah’s effort.
All hopes of finding an equaliser were put to bed as the referee pointed towards the penalty spot for Everton, handing the visitors a golden chance to secure the win then and there in the 83rd minute following Trent Alexander-Arnold adjudged to have fouled Dominic Calvert-Lewin inside the box.
24 – Everton picked up their first win over Liverpool in 24 meetings in all competitions (D12 L11) – ending what was Liverpool’s longest ever unbeaten run against a single opponent. Finally. pic.twitter.com/fpEqMwX5Ki
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 20, 2021
Up stepped Gylfi Sigurdsson and he slotted a calm finish to make it 2-0 for the Toffees and nab a memorable win at Anfield, a first in 22 years for the Goodison Park outfit.
