Diogo Jota breaks down Everton’s blue wall as Liverpool move closer to title

There were fist-pumps from Arne Slot as he headed down the Anfield tunnel and roars from the Kop in answer to Andy Robertson’s beseeching. The 246th Merseyside derby proved not merely another step towards the Premier League title for Liverpool but a cathartic release, and the reactions showed it.

The league leaders cleansed themselves of recent torment against Everton and two deflating cup defeats in quick succession to secure a deserved derby win courtesy of Diogo Jota’s fine individual goal.

David Moyes felt the strike that ended Everton’s nine-match unbeaten run should have been disallowed with Luis Díaz offside in the build-up. He also conceded that James Tarkowski, Everton’s late hero when the local rivals met 49 days ago, was lucky not to see red with only 11 minutes on the clock. The customary Merseyside derby controversy.

Of more importance to Liverpool on this emotional occasion were the cold, hard facts of victory. It leaves Slot’s team needing a maximum of 13 points from the remaining eight games to have the Premier League trophy on display at Anfield once again, and to seal a record-equalling 20th league championship. Their performance against an obstinate and dangerous Everton side was hardly enthralling but underpinned by an impressive determination to recover from a painful Champions League exit and deserved Carabao Cup final defeat before the international break.

A fixture that finished with a multitude of flashpoints last time around soon offered up another. Tarkowski was fortunate in the extreme not to be sent off and leave his team in a serious hole at Anfield with the contest in its infancy. Jota had just created Liverpool’s first opening, spinning away from Tarkowski and having a shot blocked by Jarrad Branthwaite. The loose ball spun between the Everton captain and Alexis Mac Allister. Tarkowski got there first but, having cleared out the ball, he followed through to catch the Liverpool midfielder with a dangerously high foot.

The referee, Sam Barrott, showed a yellow card to the central defender for a reckless foul. The video assistant referee – Jürgen Klopp’s old friend Paul Tierney – surprisingly went with the referee’s initial call. Slot could only shake his head in disbelief on the sidelines while Mac Allister made a point of showing Barrott the stud marks in his shin. Mac Allister and Tarkowski appeared to bury the hatchet after the final whistle.

For all their dominance of the ball and composure, Liverpool created few clear-cut openings before the interval. Mohamed Salah had the best, from a Díaz cross to the back post, but placed a header straight at Jordan Pickford. The visitors fashioned the better first-half openings against a Liverpool central defence that was unusually vulnerable to quick, direct balls in behind.

View image in fullscreen James Tarkowski flies into a challenge on Alexis Mac Allister, but escapes with a yellow card. Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Beto proved a tireless thorn in the side of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté. Everton’s lone centre forward had the ball in the Liverpool net when Van Dijk failed to deal with Tarkowski’s searching pass out of defence. Beto raced through to convert between the legs of Caoimhín Kelleher but was just offside. Kelleher again started in goal for Liverpool as Alisson was absent because of concussion protocols, having sustained a head injury while on international duty with Brazil.

Beto found himself clean through on goal for a second time when Van Dijk swiped at an Abdoulaye Doucouré pass and missed his attempted clearance. This time the striker was onside but, having beaten the advancing Kelleher, his powerful finish struck the base of a post and cannoned clear. It was a huge let‑off for Liverpool, as was the final action of the first half when James Garner’s free-kick picked out the unmarked Carlos Alcaraz in front of Kelleher’s goal. The on-loan midfielder miscued his header badly wide.

skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Football Daily Free daily newsletter Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion

Everton’s misses, as Moyes must have known and feared, proved costly. Liverpool started the second half with renewed intent and aggression. Ryan Gravenberch began to exert more influence in central midfield and the pressure was mounting, the Kop expectant, before Jota finally produced an end product. Díaz was clearly offside when Gravenberch attempted to dissect the Everton defence. Crucially, according to the letter of a law that Slot professed to hate, the winger made no clear attempt to play the ball. Tarkowski was not to know that and made a weak interception. Díaz, back in an onside position, teed up Jota with a cute back-heel. The Portugal international swept past Idrissa Gueye into the box and away from Tarkowski before completing his run with a characteristically cool, measured shot beyond Pickford.

Everton’s appeals for an offside against Díaz in the build-up were in vain. Their attempts to turn the tide of the derby or at least challenge Liverpool’s authority proved similarly fruitless.

Moyes made five late changes in an attempt to salvage a point but Liverpool held firm and could have extended their lead through Díaz. Darwin Núñez, a replacement for Jota, was fouled inside the Everton area by Pickford in the closing minutes but play had already been halted for a foul by Tim Iroegbunam on Dominik Szoboszlai. That, however, was the only late pain that Everton inflicted in this derby.

Click here to read article