Virgil van Dijk scored a stoppage-time header to win the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium. In a frantic game, the Reds skipper scored 10 minutes into added time to not only seal his side all three points but also boost their Champions League hopes.
After Beto wasted a good chance to open the scoring, Iliman Ndiaye thought he had opened the scoring when he finished from close-range. But following a VAR review, the goal was ruled out, and two minutes later Mohamed Salah fired the Reds ahead after a great ball from Cody Gakpo.
Beto drew David Moyes’ side level when he finished from close range, and just like when it looked like the points would be shared, Van Dijk headed home a later corner. Speaking after the game, Reds boss Arne Slot said: "We are going to enjoy. My staff, my players and me. There is no difference between us and the fans, we would have loved to have had a better season than we've had.
"But for obvious reasons we haven't, and we saw that today. How many times do you have two goalkeepers injured? That has been our season but we managed to win and that's the most important thing."
While Blues boss Moyes said: "We didn’t deserve the outcome we got, but football is cruel sometimes. You have to go again despite the adversity.
"I thought we were the better team for the first 25 minutes. We got back into the game and I thought if anyone was going to score, it was going to be us."
Relive all the action as it happened below.
Everton were dealt two cruel blows in a brutal finish to a Merseyside derby that showed just how far they have come.
Virgil van Dijk’s header in the 100th minute left players in Royal Blue slumped on the pitch after a Herculean effort that had looked set to deliver a valuable, deserved point in the battle for Europe.
It was made even tougher to bear given the goal came in the final minutes of a stoppage time made so lengthy because Jarrad Branthwaite was stretchered off late in the game, the centre-back covering his face with his shirt as a season already decimated by injury took another hit.
There were layers to the cruelty dealt to Everton in this match. After a ferocious welcome outside Hill Dickinson Stadium was followed by a stunning South Stand greeting, the Blues started this match with the verve and intensity the occasion required.
Read Joe's full verdict here.
Arne Slot has just confirmed: "It didn't look great, it was a big wound and he went straight to the hospital. Let's see how that works out for him but fear worst - not for a long-term injury but for next week."
David Moyes has just revealed: "It doesn't look great, it caused problems because we had already made a couple of subs so we were down to our last one. Jarrad was head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch, I thought he played so well."
On the game, the Everton boss said: "I thought the players played great today, they didn't get the result they deserved. We deserved more from it than we did. They did a great job. Disappointed with the last goal but in the main the players did a brilliant job."
Booked for dissent when complaining after Virgil van Dijk escaped punishment when bringing down Idrissa Gueye for the second time, he’s dealt well with a couple of tricky crosses from Liverpool corners and tipped a Gakpo shot over the bar but had little chance with the first goal as the home defence were cut open and will have wished his defenders could have held their nerve for just a few moments longer with the final set-piece of the game.
Did well to put in the cross that resulted in Ndiaye’s disallowed goal, but it was his offside position earlier in the move that caused the effort to be ruled out and while he looked decent going forwards at times, he needed to keep his wits about him when defending.
Improved after the break, making a crucial challenge on Alexander Isak having allowed Mohamed Salah to escape his attentions for the goal, while he’s often kept tight to the Egyptian in these encounters, his opponent, featuring in a Merseyside Derby for the final time, still has the class to make his mark as displayed in decisive fashion when firing Liverpool in front just moments after Everton’s goal had been chalked off.
Made a crucial block to deflect Cody Gakpo’s shot away after the Liverpool player got half a yard on McNeil and as you would imagine he was up for the derby battle, providing crucial leadership at the back but ultimately lost Virgil van Dijk for the visitors’ second goal deep into stoppage time.
Read Chris' full player ratings here.
Giorgi Mamardashvili 7
Superb save to keep out Beto header early on and efficient enough with distribution before being caught by Beto for equaliser and having to go off injured. Subbed.
Did very well in unaccustomed position at right-back, using ball well and defending solidly. Ability to keep possession under pressure important given lack of help from Konate at times. Great performance.
Lost Beto for early chance but otherwise solid up against the awkward Everton striker until dreadful defending invited Dewsbury-Hall to set up equaliser and then lost his way for good while after that.
No-nonsense defending for the most part and effective at clearing set-pieces before popping up right at the end for the winning goal.
Read Ian's full player ratings here.
Heartbreaking stuff for Everton, but if any side was going to win it in the last 10 minutes, then it was Liverpool. The Reds win the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and while the Blues remain in the hunt for European football next season, there is no doubt this is going to hurt.
Full time: Everton 1-2 Liverpool.
The Reds win the first-evfer Hill Dickinson Stadium derby in the 100th minute courtesy of their captain, who is mobbed by his team-mates.
Garner in the book for a late hack at a breaking Garner and there is no argument there.
Van Dijk wheels away in the 100th minute!
He heads gome Szoboszlai's corner and Liverpool have surely won this.
A few nerves here for Everton, who want to get forward but do not quite have the quality to build their way up the pitch. Liverpool look dangerous when they have the ball.
Ngumoha blazes over what looked like a great chance after Kerkez dummied it.
Barry almost causes enough mayhem to get a chance in the Liverpool box but Woodman just about manages to claim it. Into the 95th minute here.
Well, I said expect a fair bit of additional time, and we have at least another 11 minutes to play. Is there going to be a Merseyside derby hero? We are about to find out.
No team have scored more goals after 75 minutes than Liverpool this season, with 17.
But conceding in stoppage time has been a real blight on their entire season.
Eleven minutes added on here.
Heartbreaking for Jarrad Branthwaite. He’s been outstanding since he returned. The centre-back clearly knows the injury he has just picked up is a serious one. Also expect a fair bit of additional time as there have been a few lengthy stoppages this half.
Worrying injuries for both sides in this game, then. Michael Keane comes on as Branthwaite is stretchered off.
Andy Robertson makes way for Milos Kerkez.
Worrying signs here. Jarrad Branthwaite just slid off the pitch after a tussle with Gakpo and after coming back on, he has crumpled to the ground. Looked to sky before dropping and Michael Keane is about to come on. A really worrying moment for a player crucial to Everton's ambitions. He gets up but a stretcher has been brought onto the pitch now.
Gravenberch sends one well over the bar after good work from Gakpo.
Mac Allister and Frimpong are on.
Salah likely to go central now.
Alexis Mac Allister and Jeremie Frimpong are coming on by the looks of it.
George heads to the Everton left and Ndiaye to the right. George's first act is a lovely touch to bring the ball down a cross that is just a bit too clever for a teammate to read.
Dwight McNeil is off, Tyrique George is on. An attacking substition, George looked a threat off the bench at Brentford last week.
Everton build up a bit of a head of steam, largely thanks to placing Konate under pressure. It is Liverpool facing into the sunshine this half and that clearly isn't easy. But A long range Garner effort sails over the bar. Everton yet to really test Woodman but that is a nice move that comes to nothing - Dewsbury-Hall playing McNeil down the right and his cross is across the face of goal but there is no-one there to turn it in.
Ngumoha is coming on. Isak makes way. Gakpo to go central.
Beto off for Everton. Barry on in his place.
The Everton goalscorer is, indeed, coming off. He is replaced by Thierno Barry.
After a frantic 10 minutes we have a lull after first Konate, now Beto, receive treatment. Moyes is locked in conversation with Tarkowski as Beto is checked over by the physio.
The tempo is intense and this has turned into a wild scrap. We are very much in 'great game for a neutral' territory.
No-one here is, however.
