Ibe: I wanted to get chances to play here
Jordon Ibe took to the field at Goodison Park on Saturday backed by a feeling of achievement that helped him to produce a display beyond his years in the Merseyside derby.
The talented Englishman spent the first half of this season at Championship outfit Derby County, gaining experience and game time with Steve McClaren's progressive team.
His performance level was suitably high for Brendan Rodgers to recall Ibe midway through January, bringing him back to Anfield as an additional and versatile option in the squad.
The manager has regularly explained since that the No.33 would be given chances in the remainder of the campaign - and one arrived against Everton in the Barclays Premier League.
Named from the start in the 224th chapter of the city rivalry, Ibe shook off any sense of occasion to torment the Blues' defence, driving through and beyond the backline for the cause.
"It felt really good and I enjoyed it a lot," he later told Liverpoolfc.com. "It was great that the gaffer gave me a chance to get involved in such an important game.
"I enjoyed it and I thought the rest of the team did well. I come back with more experience from playing at Derby, playing in important games and getting minutes.
"It was great to come back and get involved. It was great at Derby but obviously I was trying to play well to get back into the Liverpool side.
"So when I got told to come back it was a great achievement for me. After I finished there it was for me to kick on and keep working hard."
Ibe was fielded in a wing-back role on the right at Goodison, earning praise after the match from the boss for his team ethic in tracking defensively in addition to his attacking instincts.
It was the latter that so nearly saw the wide-man break the deadlock with a thunderous 20-yard drive that seared through the air and smacked the far post.
He explained: "I went on a run and when I shot, I thought it was going in. I was getting ready to celebrate, but it hit the post and went wide.
"It was quite new for me. The gaffer just told me certain things; to stay as a full-back and when we had the ball, I get back in the usual position I usually play in, playing wide and high.
"It was OK for me. I enjoyed it - it was new and exciting to learn."
Ibe's short-term intention following the game was to review his contribution, keen to assess and analyse areas of his efforts that can be fine-tuned and improved.
He will then hope to be involved when the Reds welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield on Tuesday night in an important encounter for the race to reach a top four position.
"That's a big game because we're doing well and Tottenham are doing well," said Ibe. "We'll see how it goes.
"It's still open for us - there are a lot of games. We have to focus on the game on Tuesday. We've got a chance to get Champions League [football] again and hopefully we do."