Breaking: Liverpool suffer crucial loss to Everton in Premier League title race

Everton got a fully deserved first derby win at Goodison Park in 14 years, beating Liverpool 2-0, almost certainly ending Jürgen Klopp’s sides hopes of the title.

Both sides had openings inside the first three minutes as things got off to a flier at a raucous Goodison Park.

Abdoulaye Doucouré couldn’t sort out his feet when the ball fell to him inside the six-yard box after some lovely build up play by the Toffees before Luis Díaz’s ball across their box was fortunately for the home side not into the path of any Liverpool attacker.

Dominic Cavert-Lewin thought he had won a penalty was he taken down by Alisson, who was yellow-carded, but both were turned over by VAR for offside.

The game continued at a remarkable pace with Mohamed Salah being picked out in the box by a great Trent Alexander-Arnold ball. However, the Egyptian’s own ball was not met by a teammate with Ben Godfrey coming to the rescue.

Calvert-Lewin was the next to miss a great chance, firing a header straight at Alisson from close range.

Everton got the goal their play deserved in the 27th minute when after a series of headers in and around box eventually saw the ball fall to Jarrad Branthwaite, who got his strike under Alisson and into the net.

As has been the case in recent weeks, Liverpool did not have their shooting boots on, Darwin Núñez missing the best of their chances, firing straight at Jordan Pickford from close range.

The Reds started the second half brighter but Everton made it 2-0 in the 58th minute. Dwight McNeil’s corner beat everyone and Calvert-Lewin powered home a header to send Goodison into a frenzy not seen in years.

McNeil nearly made it three shortly after Calvert-Lewin again dominated Liverpool in the air, but Andy Robertson came to his side’s rescue as their title hopes hung by a thread.

Díaz came ever so close to bringing his side back into the contest, cracking the bar with a brilliant strike.

Everton held out with relative ease on a famous night at the old ground that will long live in the memory.

BBC