Everton celebrated a momentous victory at Goodison Park, defeating Liverpool 2-0 on Wednesday in a Merseyside derby that hadn’t seen a home win since 2010.
The result not only boosted Everton’s survival hopes but also severely dented Liverpool’s Premier League title aspirations.
Jurgen Klopp’s side, still trailing Arsenal by three points and just a single point ahead of reigning champions Manchester City—who have two games in hand—now faces an uphill battle in the title race.
“We need a crisis at City and Arsenal and we need to win football games,” Klopp stated, reflecting on the tough road ahead with only four games left in his tenure.
Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored goals to propel Everton’s victory, lifting the Toffees eight points clear of the relegation zone despite a recent eight-point deduction for financial rule breaches.
This win almost certainly ensures their continued presence in the top flight, extending their 70-year legacy.
For Klopp, this loss marked his first defeat at Goodison Park, dampening his final season with Liverpool after a transformative near-decade-long stint that included a Premier League title.
Speculation is rife that Feyenoord’s Arne Slot will be lined up as his successor amid visible weaknesses that the Liverpool hierarchy will need to address this summer.
Liverpool has struggled for form, winning just one of their last four league matches and exiting both the FA Cup and the Europa League recently.
Despite making six changes following their weekend victory over Fulham, Klopp’s team failed to turn their fortunes around.
Everton, meanwhile, rode high on the confidence from their recent win against Nottingham Forest. Manager Sean Dyche expressed his satisfaction, saying, “Delighted with the performance of our players and delighted for the Evertonians. The commitment and energy from us had to be there.”
Everton asserted early pressure, almost earning a penalty, which was overturned by VAR due to an offside.
Alisson Becker, Liverpool’s goalkeeper, made crucial saves but couldn’t stop Everton’s set-piece prowess, with Branthwaite scoring off a deflection and Calvert-Lewin heading in a second goal from a corner.
Liverpool attempted a comeback, but Jordan Pickford’s goalkeeping and their own imprecise finishing kept them at bay.
Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz missed key opportunities, and Mohamed Salah’s continuing form slump contributed to the Reds’ woes.
Everton’s win leaves Liverpool’s title challenge in jeopardy, and as Klopp prepares to leave Anfield, he faces the possibility of concluding his successful stint with just one Premier League title.
