Match ends, Liverpool 3, Everton 1.
Liverpool enhanced their prospects of a top-four place by beating derby rivals Everton, whose own hopes of breaking into the battle for a Champions League qualification spot were severely damaged by the defeat.
Sadio Mane gave the hosts an early lead when he played a one-two with Roberto Firmino and finished off an angled run with a shot into the far corner.
A Philippe Coutinho shot was palmed up by Toffees keeper Joel Robles and headed off the line by Phil Jagielka before the visitors equalised.
Jagielka flicked on a corner at the near post and, after Ashley Williams got a touch, Matthew Pennington arrived to slot in his first Everton goal on his first appearance of the season.
However, the match was level for just two minutes and 57 seconds before Coutinho beat two players and curled a shot into the top corner, and he then set up substitute Divock Origi - on for the injured Mane - to power in Liverpool's third.
The result leaves the Reds six points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United - who have two games in hand - while Everton are seven points off the top four having played more matches than their rivals.
- Relive Liverpool's win over Everton
- The Liverpool bench was 'crazy' - Koeman
- Follow Saturday's other Premier League matches
Coutinho sparkles but Mane injury a worry
Liverpool hired a private jet to bring Coutinho and fellow Brazil international Firmino back after their country's win over Paraguay in midweek and will feel the move was worth it after the forward returned to form in style.
Coutinho has struggled since recovering from an ankle injury in January but provided an assist as well as his goal as the Reds extended their unbeaten run against their Merseyside neighbours to 14 games in all competitions.
The 24-year-old was a picture of feints, shimmies and attacking runs at the Blues defence, and might have scored earlier if Robles and Jagielka had not combined to deny him.
Mane, who scored the winner in the reverse fixture, set the Reds on their way with his 13th goal of the season - but an injury in the second half will be a concern for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who is already without attacking midfielder Adam Lallana for up to a month.
Senegal winger Mane, Liverpool's top scorer this season, hurt himself trying to win the ball off Leighton Baines and, when he tried to put weight on his leg after treatment, collapsed.
"I've met Mane in the dressing room. It doesn't look too good," said Klopp.
Where was Romelu Lukaku?
Everton striker Romelu Lukaku has been accused of going missing in the big games, despite being the Premier League's top scorer with 21 goals this season.
The Belgium international may have scored against top-four sides Manchester City and Tottenham during the present campaign, but he gave his critics further fuel after an ineffective display at Anfield.
He did not have his only touch in the Liverpool area until the 70th minute and he also failed to have a shot - on or off target - on the opposition goal.
"On today's showing, what you saw was a striker who didn't do enough to keep himself on the pitch," BBC Sport pundit Jason Roberts told Final Score.
"In these games where you need him to do a little bit more of the dogged work, he didn't offer that to his team. His head went down and that was the story of Everton."
Midfielder Ross Barkley is also a key player for the Goodison Park club. However, he was also disappointing as he tested referee Anthony Taylor's patience with challenges on James Milner and Emre Can, before being booked for a late tackle on Dejan Lovren.
Reds hold upper hand on Merseyside
Everton have not won at Anfield since September 1999 and they did little to alter the view that they have a psychological barrier at the home of their neighbours.
Even having gone into the match with one defeat in 12 league games and four clean sheets in their past five games, they could not stop their hosts doing the double over them this season.
However, there were mitigating circumstances with injuries to defenders Seamus Coleman and Ramiro Funes Mori forcing manager Ronald Koeman to replace them with right wing-back Mason Holgate, 20, and centre-back Pennington, 22.
Pennington did have the joy of scoring but was also caught out for Coutinho's goal as Liverpool widened the gap between the two teams to nine points.
Man of the match - Philippe Coutinho
What they said:
Liverpool manager Klopp on Barkley's challenge on Lovren: "I'm still a kind of a guest in this country. How can I decide what is OK and what is not OK?
"My opinion is that the players should leave the pitch healthy and fit but not injured.
"It's not my job to judge it. If you saw something, say it. If not, be quiet."
Everton boss Koeman: "Maybe one or two tackles were a little too much. It's football, a derby.
"From both sides I saw tackles that were maybe more than a yellow. According to the bench of Liverpool - I don't mean the manager - the referee should have shown eight red cards."
Klopp record - the stats you need to know
- Klopp is the first Liverpool manager to win his first three league Merseyside derbies against Everton.
- Mane has scored in both Merseyside derbies this season, the first player to do that since Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge in 2013-14.
- Mane has now been involved in 18 league goals this season (13 goals, five assists), his best return in a Premier League campaign.
- Pennington became the fifth player - following Duncan Ferguson, John Arne Riise, Raul Meireles and Steven Naismith - to score his first Premier League goal in a Merseyside derby.
- Only Olivier Giroud (seven) has scored more goals as a substitute than Divock Origi's six since the Belgium international's Premier League debut in September 2015.
What next?
There is a fast turnaround in the top flight with a midweek programme in which Everton visit Manchester United on Tuesday for a 20:00 BST kick-off and Liverpool host Bournemouth on Wednesday, also at 20:00.
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 22Mignolet
- 2Clyne
- 32Matip
- 6Lovren
- 7Milner
- 23CanBooked at 68mins
- 21Pezzini Leiva
- 5Wijnaldum
- 19ManéSubstituted forOrigiat 57'minutes
- 11FirminoSubstituted forKlavanat 90'minutes
- 10CoutinhoSubstituted forAlexander-Arnoldat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Karius
- 16Grujic
- 17Klavan
- 18Moreno
- 27Origi
- 58Woodburn
- 66Alexander-Arnold
Everton
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Robles
- 38PenningtonSubstituted forBarryat 67'minutes
- 5WilliamsBooked at 62mins
- 6Jagielka
- 30Holgate
- 26DaviesBooked at 26minsSubstituted forE Valenciaat 66'minutes
- 17Gueye
- 3Baines
- 8BarkleyBooked at 40mins
- 29Calvert-LewinSubstituted forMirallasat 82'minutes
- 10Lukaku
Substitutes
- 9Koné
- 11Mirallas
- 18Barry
- 19E Valencia
- 22Stekelenburg
- 31Lookman
- 43Kenny
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 52,920
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away10
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Liverpool 3, Everton 1.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Ragnar Klavan replaces Roberto Firmino.
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Delay in match Ashley Williams (Everton) because of an injury.
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Attempt missed. Kevin Mirallas (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Idrissa Gueye.
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Dejan Lovren (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Romelu Lukaku (Everton).
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Foul by Lucas Leiva (Liverpool).
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Enner Valencia (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Georginio Wijnaldum.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Mason Holgate.
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Divock Origi (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Idrissa Gueye (Everton).
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Kevin Mirallas replaces Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
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Offside, Liverpool. James Milner tries a through ball, but Roberto Firmino is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Emre Can.
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Gareth Barry (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Trent Alexander-Arnold replaces Philippe Coutinho.
Comments
Join the conversation
Life and death trumps football, always.
A gunner.
U just worry about your own team
Needless to say it didn't take long for Everton to lose it with some horror tackles and Koeman's comments at the end smacked somewhat of very sour grapes.
The BBC understands that Everton striker Romelu Lukaku is currently missing and is nowhere to be found. The Merseyside club have announced on their official website to inform the public if anyone finds Lukaku, please insure that he returns to Goodison Park safely.
More to follow....
Taxi to Spec Savers for Koeman.
LFC were the recipients of some bad challenges. Barclay x 2, William stamp and studs challenges on Can.
Yet well played LFC as both players and Klopp played it down. Completely risible interview by Koeman.
Well done for your generous and fair comments regarding LFC good and EFC poor.
Maybe you can lend your glasses to Koeman.
Does anyone really care about the scousers Derby day out...?
YOU DO THATS WHY YOU COMMENTED