A double from Mohamed Salah propelled Liverpool to a 2-0 triumph over a resilient 10-man Everton, preserving the Reds’ impressive record of having lost only one Merseyside derby at home in this century.
The return of Premier League (PL) football at Anfield was marked by an eventful beginning, even though there was no early goal. Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed his header straight at Alisson Becker, and Salah surprisingly mishandled his attempt at the opposite end. The intense pace of the opening 15 minutes was evident as Liverpool executed a rapid counterattack following a defensive play against an Everton corner. However, Luis Díaz’s shot was deflected over by an exceptional challenge from Ashley Young.
As Liverpool began to take control, the game slowed down, and there was a sense that something extraordinary was needed to break the scoring deadlock. Amadou Onana’s attempt from inside his own half went awry, and Jordan Pickford spilled Alexis Mac Allister’s powerful strike before gathering it. Despite Young’s earlier success in halting Díaz, he significantly complicated his team’s task by receiving two bookings for fouls on the Colombian within 37 minutes, setting a new record for the most PL red cards in this fixture.
Sean Dyche responded with two defensive changes before the second half, indicating a willingness by Everton to endure to secure a point against their bitter rivals. This determination was evident on the field, with James Tarkowski blocking Salah’s shot after Jarrad Branthwaite slipped, and Onana went over the advertising boards after fending off Díaz to let the ball go out of play. Frustrations grew when Ibrahima Konaté avoided a second yellow card. The controversy deepened when Díaz’s cross struck Michael Keane’s hand, resulting in a penalty that Salah emphatically converted with 15 minutes remaining.
Pickford denied Harvey Elliott’s ambitious strike, tipping it onto the crossbar and over, keeping some hope alive. However, Liverpool sealed the win in the final moments as Darwin Núñez set up Salah for a clinical finish. This victory allowed Liverpool to respond to two consecutive PL matches without a win, propelling them to the top of the table ahead of the weekend’s fixtures. Meanwhile, Everton suffered only their second defeat in the last five matches across all competitions.