The city is red again as Liverpool leave Everton feeling blue

Substitute Divock Origi's goal on the hour mark secured a crucial three points for Jurgen Klopp's side after first-half strikes from Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho.

Everton, who had levelled briefly through derby debutant Matty Pennington, endured a frustrating afternoon and left with their pride damaged. Ronald Koeman's side may also have picked up a pair of red cards, with dubious challenges from both Ross Barkley and Ashley Williams earning only yellows from referee Anthony Taylor.

The win keeps Liverpool in the box seat for a top four finish, and extends their advantage over their neighbours, who stay seventh, to nine points.

With injuries having bitten both sides during the international break, the teamsheet showed changes.

For Liverpool there were starts for both Lucas Leiva and Dejan Lovren, who was making his first Premier League appearance since January 31.

Everton, meanwhile, fielded no fewer than four youngsters, with Pennington drafted into Koeman's back three, and Mason Holgate and Dominic Calvert-Lewin joining Tom Davies in a youthful starting XI.

After a scrappy opening, in which referee Taylor showed a fair bit of derby-day leniency, it was Liverpool who struck first in the eighth minute through Mane.

Exchanging passes with Roberto Firmino, the Senegal star got past Tom Davies and then shifted the ball past Williams before steering a left-footed shot into Joel Robles' bottom left corner from just inside the box.

Coutinho, bright from the off, then saw Robles paw his shot away after the Brazilian had jinked inside Pennington onto his right foot.

Everton, to that point, had offered little by way of threat, captain Phil Jagielka heading off target and Leighton Baines sending a free kick into the wall.

But they were level on 28 minutes as Jagielka flicked on a Baines corner from the left, and when the ball wasn't cleared Pennington was there to slot home from close range.

Parity didn't last long, however, as within three minutes Liverpool were back in front with a fabulous goal.

Coutinho, collecting the ball 30 yards out, waltzed past a sliding Idrissa Gueye, jinked back inside Pennington and bent a superb shot into Robles' far top corner from 16 yards.

There was a flash point soon after as Barkley left his foot in on Lovren as he cleared the ball. The Everton man escaped with only a yellow card, though he may well have been booked earlier in the game for a similar challenge on Emre Can.

The second half began with the hitherto unused Simon Mignolet saving from an unmarked Williams, and with Can seeing a goalbound effort blocked by the Welshman.

But they were level on 28 minutes as Jagielka flicked on a Baines corner from the left, and when the ball wasn't cleared Pennington was there to slot home from close range.

Parity didn't last long, however, as within three minutes Liverpool were back in front with a fabulous goal.

Coutinho, collecting the ball 30 yards out, waltzed past a sliding Idrissa Gueye, jinked back inside Pennington and bent a superb shot into Robles' far top corner from 16 yards.

There was a flash point soon after as Barkley left his foot in on Lovren as he cleared the ball. The Everton man escaped with only a yellow card, though he may well have been booked earlier in the game for a similar challenge on Emre Can.

The second half began with the hitherto unused Simon Mignolet saving from an unmarked Williams, and with Can seeing a goalbound effort blocked by the Welshman.

Source: Liverpool Echo

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