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Everton mounted a highly spirited comeback from two goals down but the champions grimly held on to prevail in the 247th Merseyside derby Read Will Unwin’s match report from Anfield Jack Grealish: “It was probably what I expected, ” says Everton’s winger upon being asked how he found his first Merseyside derby as an Everton player at Anfield. “It was hostile, it was a fast start. I don’t think we played well at all in the first half and we came in at half-time and had a bit of a chat between ourselves and the manager and I thought we bossed the game in the second half. “It’s frustrating because you end up going in and saying that if we’d have played like that from the start it would have been a different game. In the end, we couldn’t get that last goal. We always had the belief we could do it and when we got one back, obviously we couldn’t quite get that second one. “We were frustrated because they were trying to slow the game down at times and I’ve never in my life before seen a player get booked for taking a quick free-kick [as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall did], I don’t know where that rule has come from. Even the stoppage time … what was it … one minute and three minutes … I mean, come on. I’ve never seen that [little] in the Premier League in the last three years. So … yeah. ” Ryan Gravenberch: “I’m really happy with the goal, ” the Dutchman tells TNT. “Last season I didn’t score much so I’m really happy that I could score, especially in the Merseyside derby. “The goal we conceded, that didn’t need to happen and we knew they would come, they would come, they would come, so were going back a little and going for the counter. We had chances to score again but we didn’t, which made it difficult. ” Hugo Ekitike: “It’s a very good feeling, ” says the scorer of Liverpool’s second goal in a chat with TNT Sports. “We knew it was going to be a tough game and it was. We had to fight until the last minute but I feel proud. It was a good test for me, so to score my goal which was the winner in the end, I am proud and happy for the team. We just have to keep going. ” Premier League match report: After a swashbuckling first half which saw Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitiké create a two-goal lead for the champions, Everton were awoken and got back into the match but ultimately it was Liverpool who clung on to take all three points. Will Unwin reports from Anfield … An email: Peadar De Burca is back and still in Poland, from where he sent his pre-match email. “Well, I may have missed the first half but contrary to spurious assertions by Mr Glendenning, I do have friends who are more than willing to share the company of an affable Irishman, ” he writes. “My neighbour Danusia (I can’t spell her second name, I don’t think it has any vowels), who is 93 years young and her son Tomek, a spritely 67 year old retired electrician. And Liverpool won - in your face space coyote! ” Full time: Having roared out of the traps and secured a two-goal lead courtesy of fine strikes from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool seemed at a loss to know what to do next and allowed Everton back into a game that really should have been over as a contest. Idrissa Gueye pulled what ended up being a thoroughly deserved consolation goal back for the visitors but Liverpool held on for their fifth consecutive Premier League win of the season, even if it meant putting their fans throough the wringer once again. Another yellow card: The match might be over but discipline never stops. Jack Grealish gets a yellow card for harnaging the ref after the final whistle and has to be ushered away by Jordan Pickford before he talks himself into further trouble. He looks very angry and David Moyes looks in a right funk too. 90+4 min: Van Dijk puts the collective heart crossways in Liverpool fans with a dodgy backpass to Alisson but Liverpool get away with it and now the game is over. Liverpool have held on … again. 90+2 min: Liverpool win a corner, which they are in no hurry to take. Neither of their centre-backs come up for it and Szoboszlai rolls the ball just a few inches to Salah down by the flag. They win themselves a free-kick, which is also taken short. 90 min: Kirkez does well to block a Jake O’Brien header at the back post with his own bonce, before Jack Grealish sends a volley high over the bar. 89 min: There are only going to be three minutes of extras, but Liverpool’s players and fans won’t feel short-changed, even if Everton do. 88 min: Jake O’Brien dries the ball on his shirt and sends a long throw looping into the Liverpool box. He’s no Rory Delap and gets little pace on his delivery – Kirkez heads clear with a minimum of fuss. 87 min: Everton substitutions: Charly Alcaraz and Tyler Dibling on for Mykolenko and Ndiaye. Garner moves to left-back. 85 min: Tarkowski dispossesses Salah with a splendid tackle as the Egyptian bore down on the Everton goal after latching on to a through ball from Isak. Offside but Tarkowski wasn’t to know that. 84 min: Pickford is quick off his line to gather a weighted pass into the Everton penalty area for Isak to chase. 82 min: Given Liverpool’s penchant for both throwing away two-goal leads and scoring in the final 10 minutes of games, it seems extremely likely we’ll have at least one more goal in this match. Your guess is as good as mine as to which way it will go. 81 min: Iliman Ndiaye gets booked for a cynical foul on Wirtz, who was threatening to break upfield on a counter-attack. 79 min: Making sure not to take it too quickly, James Garner takes over from Garner and whips a shot from 35 yards harmlessly wide of the far upright. 77 min: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall gets booked for the heinous crime of taking a free-kick too quickly. He looks completely baffled by the referee’s decision and I can’t say that I blame him. 76 min: Grealish goes down clutching his shin following a crunching tackle from Curtis Jones. 74 min: From a good position, Szoboszlai sends a free-kick fizzing over the bar. He got plenty of dip on his shot but not before it had sailed over the intended target. 73 min: Konate leaps highest to meet the inswinger and his header is on target. Grealish blocks the goalbound shot with his chest but I think Pickford had it covered anyway. Liverpool’s fans appeal for a penalty for handball but Grealish is in the clear. 71 min: Liverpool break upfield and as Wirtz bears down on the Everton penalty area, Mykolenko tries and fails to dispossess him. From out of nowhere, Tarkowski slides in at 100 miles per hour to avert the danger by putting the ball out for a corner. 69 min: Szoboszlai is booked for a tug on Grealish, who had just jinked past him. Free-kick for Everton on the inside left channel, a long way out. They ping a quick one to Grealish up the wing but it’s too quick – Darren England orders them to take it again. Everton win a corner and Dewsbury-Hall’s inswinger is headed clear by Konate. 68 min: Jack Grealish pings another good cross to the back post, where Gueye tries to smash it back across the face of goal in the direction of Thierno Barry. Liverpool clear their lines. 67 min: Liverpool substitution: Alexander Isak comes on for Hugo Ekitike. 66 min: Jack Grealish won’t get the assist for that Everton goal but the cross he sent into the Liverpool penalty area that Ndiaye laid off to Gueye was excellent. Nobody in a red shirt had picked up the Everton midfielder’s run and his finish was excellent. 64 min: From that corner, Liverpool win another. It’s overhit by Szoboszlai and the referee whistles for a foul on one of Everton’s players in the box. 63 min: Szoboszlai tries to knock a cross from the right into the path of Mo Salah but his attempted lay-off is blocked. Corner for Liverpool. 62 min: Liverpool double-substitution: Florian Wirtz and Curtis Jones on for Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo. 60 min: That could be a huge goal for Everton, who have capitalised on a poor start to the second half from a Liverpool side who will almost certainly have the now customary sinking feeling that accompanies their habit of throwing away two-goal leads. Everton pull one back! Idrissa Gueye sends the ball curling away from Alisson after latching on to a cushioned pass from Ndiaye, who sent an inch-perfect ball his way from a Grealish cross. 56 min: Liverpool attack on the break and Salah takes the ball down in the Everton box with an imperious touch to get the ball on to his left foot while taking out a defender. He is unable to get a clean shot away and Pickford saves easily. 54 min: Now Alexis Mac Allister gives away the ball carelessly in midfield. It must be radioactive because nobody seems to want it anywhere near them. 52 min: Dewsbury-Hall and Mykolenko combine to good effect up the right flank but once again a poor pass from the former to the latter gifts possession back to Liverpool. 51 min: Grealish slips a ball inside to Gueye after failing to get the better of Bradley, but the Everton midfielder’s return pass is wayward and Liverpool break upfield. Seconds later, Ekitike gives the ball away with a sloppy pass. 50 min: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sprints between defenders, trying to run on to a Tarkowski delivery from deep. The ball bounces off the wet turf and into the hands of Alisson. With a dryer pitch, Dewsbury-Hall might have got to that first. 48 min: A weird silence descends over Anfield, with the shouts of individual fans and players audible as the second half tries to settle into some sort of rhythm. 46 min: Liverpool boss possession in the early stages of this second half and win a throw-in deep in Everton terrirotry. The long throw is cleared towards Ekitike, who is unable to muster a shot on goal. 46 min: Plays resumes with Liverpool on the ball and Thierno Barry on for Everton in place of Beto, who didn’t have a very productive first half. An email: “Football is too full of kneejerk simplistic hot takes, ” writes Paul Griffin. “Everyone needs to be more controlled, reflective and analytical. Having said that, let’s close the book now on Ryan Gravenberch from being footballer of the year. He is so strong, ruthless, athletic, calm and controlled he makes Liverpool-era Graeme Souness look like George Costanza. ” I would respectfully argue that unlike George Costanza, Liverpool-era Graeme Souness did at least have a fine head of bubble-permed hair. Liverpool lead courtesy of a delightful Ryan Gravenberch wonder-strike and a finish from Hugo Ekitike that was a lot more difficult than the French striker made it look. It was only after going two goals behind that Everton established something resembling a foothold in the game. Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye have been increasingly menacing on the wings for the visitors and both Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Idrissa Gueye will feel they should have scored. 45+1 min: Idrissa Gueye has a scuffed shot saved by Alisson after connecting with a low Grealish cross. He probably should have scored. It’s half-time. 44 min: Salah flaps his arms in frustration and then grins at Darren England, who didn’t share the Egyptian’s view that Mykolenko was climbing all over him as he tried to control a long ball from Alisson. 41 min: Enjoying their best spell of the game, Everton win a corner after grealish has a cross blocked. James Garner plays the ball shot to Grealish, makes a run to the edge of the area receive the return pass and has a low shot blocked by Ekitike. 39 min: “Ryan Gravenberch is only 23 years old and could become one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, ” writes Andrew Goudie. “Not a bad signing for Liverpool when they pulled out of the race for Bellingham. ” I would say Gravenberch is well on his way to being one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. 38 min: An Ndiaye cross from the right is a little behind Beto, who still manages to arch his neck and head over the bar. Not a bad effort, all things considered. Moments previously the duo combined after Alisson had given the ball away, only for Beto to shoot over the bar from a good position. 35 min: I got a lot of heat for my prediction that Everton would finish 19th and while it was made before they signed Grealish and Dibling, I had a fair idea they were on their way to Goodison Park Hill Dickinson but still think they might go down. They lost against Leeds, were extremely lucky to beat Brighton and weren’t all that great against Wolves either, in my humble opinion. Other, less humble opinions are available. 33 min: “Pitch dark greetings from California, ” writes Mary Waltz. “I love how the ref is allowing tackles and not falling for the diving tactics of the players. And yes, I am still bitter about you picking Everton for relegation. ” 32 min: Myolenko is penalised for a foul on Conor Bradley, moments after Jack Grealish felt he should have got a free-kick on the back of a tussle with the Liverpool defender. 30 min: Given Liverpool’s propensity for throwing away two-goal leads this season, it’s probably fair to say that after half an hour, Everton have their hosts exactly where they want them. Liverpool double their lead! Hugo Ekitike runs on to a beautifully weighted defence-splitting ball into the Everton penalty area from Ryan Gravenberch and slides the ball through the legs of Jordan Pickford. 28 min: Iliman Ndiaye gets the first yellow card of the game for manhandling Milos Kerkez to the ground after the Liverpool defender had dribbled past him. 27 min: Greaslish finally gives Bradley the slip and sklides a pass through the left side of the Liverpool penalty area into the path of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. His shot towards the near post from a narrow angle fizzes high and wide.