Diogo Jota scored the only goal of the game in a heated Merseyside derby to recover Liverpool’s 12-point lead at the top of the table.
Liverpool continued their march towards the Premier League title, winning Everton 1-0 as Diogo Jota made the winner home in the second half, but a lively Merseyside derby.
The champions regained a 12-point lead at second-placed Arsenal on Wednesday with 73 points after 30 games, but Everton, who finished his nine-game league unbeaten streak, is 15th with 34 points.
The team met in the explosive derby that ended 2-2 in February, and Everton’s captain James Tarkowski was deeply equal in stoppage time in a chaotic game featuring four red cards, including Liverpool manager Arne Slot.
The warm mood at Anfield was cranked further into the notch after an early tackle in the controversy on Wednesday.
Liverpool fans thought Everton should be reduced to 10 men after an intense foul by Alexis Mac Alistair Tarkovsky.
The centre-back rushed to clear and catch ankle McAlistair with his studs, but only the yellow card was displayed by referee Samuel Barrotto.
Soon after that, Beto had the ball in Everton’s net but was quickly out of nowhere before latching it into the ball on top. Guinea-Bissau International overcomes the goal after Virgil Van Dijk hit the post with his wrong clearance.
Liverpool, who had been defeated in a row by Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle in the previous two games, looked flat in the first half, ending their hopes of lifting the Champions League and League Cup.
However, the men in the slots increased their strength in the second half, and the title didn’t run away either.
When the opening goal arrived, there was even more controversy. Luis Diaz seemed to have wandered offside when Tarkowski cut off a pass to the Colombians.
Diaz hit the loose ball and flicked it down Jota’s path. Jota’s path kept his cool, sliced it into Idrissa Guey and Tarkowski, breaking his first goal since January.
Diaz had the best chance to double Liverpool’s lead when Liverpool put in a strong effort, but he was too close to Jordan Pickford.
The Everton Keeper was involved in another flashpoint when he cut down Darwin Nunes within the area, but only after Barot was already blown away by a foul early in the move.
Liverpool went back to winning ways and took another big step towards just the second league title 35 years later.
“Everton makes it very difficult for you,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dyke said after the match. “They have a certain way of playing. You need to be ready for it. They are very direct.”
Meanwhile, Jota was pleased with his strike.
“Hopefully this gives us a bit of momentum,” he said. “I want to start a good run in this game. That might help the team. The only way is to win the game.”
Everton boss David Moe had problems with goals, but Liverpool said they played better.
“Liverpool was a better team, but we showed great resilience and created some opportunities. It’s just courage to lose to a goal that we don’t take for granted,” he said.
“This is our first loss in 10 games. Liverpool is the best team in the league. Maybe in the future we’re a little closer to them.”
Elsewhere in the Premier League, fourth-placed Manchester City didn’t have an injured Erling Haaland, but he stayed one point ahead of Newcastle, who defeated Leicester 2-0 and beat Brentford 2-1.
Marcus Rashford scored once again at Aston Villa in a 3-0 victory at Brighton.
Bottom club Southampton was only denied a third league victory of the season. Mateus Franca scored in two minutes of stop time to save a 1-1 draw for Crystal Palace.
Ipswich won an unusual victory. He beat Bournemouth 2-1.
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