Liverpool has ended their four-game winless run in the Premier League with a crucial 2-0 win over Everton to secure bragging rights once again in the Merseyside Derby.
Goals either side of half-time from Mohamed Salah and January recruit Cody Gakpo did the damage as Jurgen Klopp’s side moved to within three points of sixth place.
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The Reds, boosted by the presence of returning trio Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk and Roberto Firmino on the bench, were at their counterattacking best throughout.
Salah’s opener arrived thanks to a blistering run forward from Darwin Nunez after Everton defender James Tarkowski’s looping header smacked off the post from a corner.
Nunez’s run down the left attracted the attention of the Toffees’ Vitalii Mykolenko, who was the last man back for the corner, as the Ukrainian was left unaware of the Liverpool trio making streaking runs behind him.
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Nunez’s cross from the left then found the feet of Salah who, with the aid of some questionable positioning from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, finished first time for the goal.
Fans on social media were quick to take the mickey out of Pickford for his error.
Liverpool’s second goal came courtesy of yet another counter-attack, as a driving run forward from Andy Robertson sliced Everton open before he released the ball to Salah who had plenty of room to run on the right.
The Egyptian laid the ball in the path of right back Trent Alexander-Arnold who had burst forward on the overlapping run.
Alexander-Arnold then fired a first-time cross along the ground for Gakpo, who was unmarked at the back post, to tap home into an empty net.
Although Liverpool had several chances throughout the second half to extend their lead and compound Everton’s misery, they failed to find the target.
