Whilst becoming the first defending league champions to play at the Hill-Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool won the Merseyside Derby in the Premier League era for the sixth time in added time. Virgil van Dijk rose highest to thump home a header in the 100th minute, snatching all three points for his side. Mo Salah had earlier put Liverpool in front before Beto equalised.
Both teams were far from their best as Everton’s new stadium hosted its first derby. A beautiful sunny day greeted both halves of Merseyside and saw Mo Salah score his ninth goal in this fixture. Drawing first blood from close range just moments after Everton had seen a strike from Gueye ruled out for offside, the Egyptian’s 29th-minute opener came against the run of play. Everton, who’d started brightly, looked shell-shocked and were left to rue a glorious opportunity to take the lead through Beto, who’d blazed his effort high and wide in the opening fifteen minutes.
Starting with Robertson and Salah, Liverpool—though looking more solid throughout—had created little in the first half. The game in truth lacked sustained quality, but the noise levels certainly ratcheted up when Everton equalised. Curtis Jones has a habit of taking one too many touches, and when you do that at right-back, it invariably invites trouble. Unable to prevent a near-post cross, he saw Beto score from close range, with Mamardashvili injured in the process.
With thirty minutes remaining and Liverpool forced to field third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, Evertonians surely expected their side to go on and get a winner. Liverpool continued to be sloppy defensively, and though clear-cut chances were at a premium, it was the red half of Merseyside that was more anxious as eleven minutes of injury time were announced.
Young Rio Ngumoha had missed a glorious chance to grab all three points prior to what proved to be the pivotal moment of this game, skying his effort from inside the box as a worthy draw looked inevitable. However, having apparently noticed a weakness in Everton’s set-piece defending, Szoboszlai’s 100th-minute corner found van Dijk just yards from goal, and the Liverpool captain made no mistake. Pickford, so often a pantomime villain for Liverpool fans, stood no chance, ensuring it’s those in red who’ll forever have bragging rights as the first derby victors at Everton’s new home.
