Liverpool vs Everton player ratings: Mo Salah slump continues as Diogo Jota rediscovers form | OneFootball

Everton will have left the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park the happier of the two sides, but Liverpool got their revenge at Anfield.

The hosts were far from their fluid and dazzling best against Everton but got the job done as Diogo Jota scored his first goal in a two and a half months to break the deadlock and extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to 12 points over Arsenal.

Like any Merseyside derby this was not without incident, with James Tarkowski lucky to escape an early red for a bruising high tackle on Alexis Mac Allister, and Liverpool getting a reprieve of their own when Luis Diaz was judged not offside in the build-up to Jota’s goal.

Liverpool

Caoimhin Kelleher, 6

Endured a bit of a shaky start, not getting out to Beto quick enough for only time Everton hit the net - luckily for him, the flag went up and it was disallowed. Grew into the game and bravely came and collected as the Portuguese problem-maker swung a high boot at a floating ball on the six-yard box. More assured in the second half, dealing with awkward corners as Everton launched deliveries on top of him.

Curtis Jones, 8

Positionally sound and always willing to put a foot in. Has a nibble at Alcaraz and brings him down early on, appeals from the Everton fans but waved away by the ref. Defensively solid as Liverpool held onto their lead, producing a superb over-the-head intervention to prevent Branthwaite from getting in at the back post. Extra points for playing in a position unaccustomed to him.

Ibrahima Konate, 7

Showed off his passing range early on, pinging a beauty across field to Diaz in the first half. Played the offside trap successfully - just about - to make sure Beto's opener was chalked off, but later misplaced a header to spark an Everton break, from which they hit the post. Increasingly solid after the break, protecting Liverpool's advantage.

Virgil Van Dijk, 5

Failed to recover to tackle Beto for the only time Everton found the net - akin to Kelleher, blushes were spared when the flag went up. The Reds skipper then had an absolute howler to let Beto through again, making a mess of a clearance that left him doing gymnastics. Massive let off as the Portuguese striker hit the post. Much improved after the break but fortunate his errors didn't cost Liverpool the win.

Andy Robertson, 7

Influential down the left, linking up with Diaz and Jota nicely. Always looked to get Liverpool forward but sometimes a bit rash in his approach, blazing a shot over to kill a potential attack late in the first half. Kept that intensity after the restart. Defensively sound.

Ryan Gravenberch, 7

Couple nice give-and-gos with his midfield colleagues but his distribution wasn't always perfect in the first half, giving it away in the odd dangerous positions. He did produce a wonderful delivery into Jota towards the tail-end of the first 45, Tarkowski intervened with a vital touch to prevent an easy tap in. Stung the hands of Pickford after the break, letting fly from range and forcing the Everton keeper into a low stop. His key moment was playing the simple pass to Jota that prompted the winner.

Alexis Mac Allister, 6

Nearly had his leg broken by Tarkowski and unlucky not to see his opponent see red for his troubles. Wasn't as influential as he would have hoped to be throughout the night.

Dominik Szoboszlai, 6

Emptied his lungs but wasn't always much of a threat in possession - a more fleeting presence on the pitch rather than the game-changer he intends to be. Squandered an early free-kick opportunity as he fired high and wide.

Mohamed Salah, 6

Worked hard but often ran straight into the Everton block during the first half. Picked up after the restart and was regularly involved in attacking moves as the primary outlet, putting increased pressure on the more open Everton back-line after Jota's goal. Subbed.

Diogo Jota, 8

Saw a lot of the ball in the first half, especially in the box and near the byline. Then danced past two of Everton defenders and fired in wonderfully to prove the difference. Ended his goal drought in style and inspired a crucial derby win. Subbed.

Luis Diaz, 7

Liverpool's most threatening attacker in the first-half, looking bright in his duel with O'Brien. Always looked to create danger cutting inside and had a few efforts blocked in the second half. Subbed.

Substitutes

Darwin Nunez, 6: Got clamped by Pickford in the box but wasn’t awarded a penalty as the ball had gone dead. He somehow got booked for the ordeal.

Cody Gakpo, 6: Came on with minutes to spare and kept the ball when keeping possession would win the game.

Wataru Endo, 6: Liverpool's finisher doing what he does best in the dying moments of the contest.

Everton

Jordan Pickford, 6

Some dicey moments: England’s No 1 was nearly caught out clumsily collecting a Mac Allister corner, and again in the second half as he flapped at a set-piece and was saved by Tarkowski’s clearance. But made a tidy save from a Salah header and did well to parry away a good strike by Gravenberch.

Jake O’Brien, 5

Caught sleeping by Luis Diaz in the opening stages of the game and looked to struggle with his pace, but came out on top in their more physical encounters, escaping a foul for tripping the Colombian.

James Tarkowski, 7

This could have been a very different match had Tarkowski been sent off - justifiably - for a crunching high tackle on Mac Allister in the early stages of the match. He went some way to redeeming himself with a lucky deflection off a Gravenberch strike, sending it into Pickford’s glove, and was generally strong at the back, but was unlucky again making a block in the lead-up to Liverpool’s goal with Diaz not ruled to be offside.

Jarrad Branthwaite, 8

A towering presence at the back, making several crucial saves. He cleared the rebound after Pickford parried a dangerous Gravenberch strike and sprinted back to his goal for another brilliant header to deny a Robertson cross in the second half.

Vitalii Mykolenko, 7

Passed his fitness test and started at left-back ahead of Ashley Young. Kept Salah quiet throughout the game and made a key intervention to cut out a dangerous move by the Egyptian.

Idrissa Gueye, 7

Lively and energetic throughout but seemed to fade later on. Made some good clearances and combined well with Alcaraz.

James Garner, 5

A physical presence at the back, scrapping with Robertson to win an Everton corner, then getting into some fisticuffs with him afterwards for good measure. Dispossessed in a dangerous area under Liverpool pressure and Jota capitalised with the opener. Replaced by Iroegbunam in the 78th minute.

Jack Harrison, 4

Struggled to keep pace with a speedy, fluid Luis Diaz, and was outmuscled by Van Dijk for a throw-in deep in Liverpool’s half. An attempt to get up the other end was wasted as he fired a tame shot straight at Kelleher rather than squaring to Beto. Taken off for Ndiaye in the 69th minute.

Abdoulaye Doucoure, 6

A lively presence, especially in the first half, before tailing off after the break and replaced by Chermiti late on. His link-up play with Alcaraz and Beto, feeding balls up the pitch, caused Liverpool plenty of problems as Everton counter-attacked.

Charly Alcaraz, 7

A handful all over the pitch, forcing Kelleher into an early save by outwitting Van Dijk at the near post, then getting the better of Salah on the spin. Just lacked the final product when he did push up front, with a shot deflected over the bar and another header knocked behind. Replaced by Ashley Young.

Beto, 7

A real live-wire, bullying Liverpool’s centre-backs, but unlucky in the final third, first with a goal ruled out for offside, then by clattering the woodwork with a wide open goal. He brought the chaos, too, as he was at fault for a bad backpass intercepted by Jota, with Tarkowski sparing his blushes by just-about clearing in. Went in for a volley and ended up clattering Kelleher instead. Replaced by Broja.

Substitutes

Iliman Ndiaye, 6: Played his first minutes since going off injured in the reverse fixture, replacing the man who replaced him at Goodison, Harrison.

Armando Broja, 5: Beaten by Van Dijk for a cross leading to a Liverpool corner. Teed up by Gueye as Everton pressed late but couldn’t make anything of it.

Ashley Young, 6: Sent in a great long ball in as Everton pressed in added time but saw it hooked away by Curtis Jones.

Tim Iroegbunam, 6: Won a foul for a free-kick and made some decent runs.

Youssef Chermiti, 5: Came on for Doucoure in the 85th minute, with not much time to make an impact.