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Merseyside Derby: Liverpool defeats Everton 2-0

It was not to be Everton’s night, as they were defeated in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Monday.

Sean Dyche made one change from the lineup that started the 1-0 win against Arsenal at home nine days earlier, with Ellis Simms making his first Premier League start since returning from a loan spell at Sunderland last month.

Despite a strong start from the Blues, a stunning stroke of luck put the home team ahead in the first half, when a James Tarkowski header hit the post before rebounding fortuitously to aid release a dangerous counter-attack for the home team, which resulted to Mohamed Salah’s first goal.

Liverpool extended their advantage after halftime thanks to Cody Gakpo’s low finish, giving Jurgen Klopp’s side all three points.

Regardless of the outcome, Dyche would have been pleased with his team’s start, as they were unfazed by the home crowd’s first raucousness, and it was Everton who had the first sight of goal inside five minutes.

Simms took advantage of a Joel Matip mistake, but his effort from the edge of the box was stopped by Joe Gomez’s shoulder.

Five minutes later, Liverpool’s first effort was a weak free-kick from Mohamed Salah on the edge of Pickford’s area that blasted into the wall and away from danger.

Despite the Blues’ strong start, a major scare came in the 17th minute when Darwin Nunez tried a speculative overhead kick that converted into a cross and found the head of Cody Gakpo lurking inside the box. The header from the Dutchman was wide.

The attempt energised the home team and the Anfield audience. However, it did not pose a serious threat to Pickford’s goal.

In fact, Everton’s next notable chance came just beyond the half-hour mark, when the ball fell to Gana Gueye on the outside of the box from a corner, but his volley went high over Alisson’s net.

Then, with seven minutes left in the half, a bad piece of luck broke the tie. Tarkowski went the highest to meet Iwobi’s deep corner. His header hit the bottom of the post and bounced beyond the charging Simms.

Nunez took advantage of the subsequent break, driving down the left side before finding Salah unmarked, who tapped beyond Pickford.

The hosts’ advantage was increased minutes later when the Everton defence failed to clear a Trent Alexander-Arnold low cross that flew right across Pickford’s goal and into Gakpo’s path to tap home.

Dyche replaced Demarai Gray in place of Simms on the hour mark in an attempt to find a reaction, but it was the home side who looked the more dangerous in the first 20 minutes of the second session.

The game slowed as the half progressed, with Everton seeing more of the ball but failing to convert it into real efforts on goal. With fewer than 15 minutes remaining, the Blues attempted to provide further penetration by bringing in Neal Maupay and Tom Davies in place of Amadou Onana and Dwight McNiel.

Davies’ effect was nearly instant, as he slipped unmarked towards the back post to meet a deep Iwobi cross, and his headed attempt soared far over the bar.

A minute later, Tarkowski produced a magnificent sliding block to prevent Salah from scoring as he closed in on Pickford’s goal.

England’s No.1 then denied the Egyptian attacker in the final minutes with a superb fingertip stop to maintain the deficit at two goals.

Kajal S

Kajal S

kajal

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