Everton host Premier League leaders Liverpool on Saturday in what is set be the final Merseyside derby at their famous Goodison Park ground.
Here, football writer Adrian Kajumba picks out some of the most memorable goals, individual performances, matches and incidents from this iconic fixture during the Premier League era.
Gary McAllister’s winning free-kick - April 2001
In a season that ended with a famous cup treble (the Europa League - or UEFA Cup as it was known then - FA Cup and League Cup) and a UEFA Champions League place for Liverpool, their win at Goodison Park was also among their season highlights. That was largely due to an inspired piece of match-winning, quick-thinking from Gary McAllister.
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Liverpool had edged ahead twice but Everton hauled themselves level both times. And with Igor Biscan being sent off and Robbie Fowler missing a penalty, the Reds would have been forgiven for accepting this was not going to be their day.
But McAllister had other ideas when Liverpool won a free-kick well into stoppage time. While most expected him to cross from 44-yards out, the veteran midfielder decided to shoot instead and bent the ball into the bottom corner before Everton’s caught-out goalkeeper Paul Gerrard could get across his line to keep it out.
Liverpool’s players, bench and fans went wild while manager Gerard Houllier was left in wide-mouthed amazement.
And this dramatic 3-2 triumph kick-started Liverpool’s seven-match unbeaten run to finish the season, which included six wins and culminated in them clinching third place.
Steven Gerrard’s historic hat-trick - March 2012
“I love winning derbies because Everton fans have given me unbelievable stick over the years. So it was incredibly sweet to bang three past them,” Steven Gerrard said.
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Gerrard describes Everton’s 2012 visit as his “favourite match at Anfield” as he enjoyed a dream night, scoring a hat-trick to inspire Liverpool to an emphatic win over their fierce rivals.
It was the first Merseyside derby hat-trick since Ian Rush’s in 1982 and first at Anfield since 1935.
But what made his 400th Premier League appearance extra special for Gerrard was the selfless performance of Luis Suarez.
Gerrard hailed Suarez as his favourite ever team-mate and, according to Liverpool's talismanic midfielder, this occasion was a prime example of why.
Suarez set up two of Gerrard’s goals and ran himself into the ground to ensure his captain could shine in a match that meant so much personally.
“History has always been part of my love for football,” Gerrard added in his autobiography My Story.
“But history is not as thrilling as the feeling I had playing football with Luis Suarez that night. When it came to me, especially against Everton, Luis went out of his way. He helped Liverpool, and me, play like kings.”
Luis Suarez’s dive celebration - October 2012
Seven months later, Suarez went into the next Premier League derby in the spotlight again after his reputation for going to ground easily was raised pre-match by Everton manager David Moyes.
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“I think he [Suarez] has got history,” Moyes said in the build-up to the match after the Uruguayan was involved in the incident that led to Jack Rodwell’s dismissal the previous season.
"What it will do is turn the supporters away from football because they (players who dive) are very good at it."
Suarez did not have to wait long to deliver his humorous response. After 14 minutes, when his shot deflected in off Leighton Baines, Suarez sprinted straight for the Everton dugout and performed a celebratory dive in front of Moyes.
Everton fought back to earn a 2-2 draw and Suarez had what would have been a stoppage-time winner ruled out for offside. That might have improved Moyes’ mood.
And while pointedly suggesting he was not alone in his thoughts he was also able to see the funny side of Suarez’s celebration.
“I thought it was great,” Moyes said. “I probably would have done the same if I had been a player.
“But he’s going to have to dive in front of a lot of managers I think. If we had won 3-2 I might have done one in front of him as well.”
Six-goal Goodison Park thriller - November 2013
Everton and Liverpool were among the Premier League’s high-fliers when they met in this derby and led by attack-minded managers Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers respectively.
The spectacle they then combined to produce at Goodison Park did not disappoint - a rollercoaster, six-goal classic and one of the best Merseyside derbies of the Premier League era.
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Three goals in 19 minutes set the tone including Suarez’s clever free-kick bent around the Everton wall to make it 2-1.
The scoreline remained that way until two goals in 10 minutes from Romelu Lukaku left Everton on course for victory with eight minutes to go.
But Daniel Sturridge’s 89th-minute flicked header secured a share of the spoils for Liverpool from a thrilling match that neither side really deserved to lose.
It was not without controversy though. Kevin Mirallas, who scored Everton’s first equaliser, was considered fortunate to avoid a red card for a first-half foul on Suarez.
But the match was mainly remembered for the attacking entertainment the two sides produced in what became, at the time, the highest-scoring Merseyside derby in Premier League history.
Rodgers walked into his post-match press conference and simply said “wow” and also described the match as “a brilliant game” while Martinez opted for “outstanding.”
Phil Jagielka's stoppage-time rocket - September 2014
One of the best ever Merseyside derby goals came from the unlikeliest of sources.
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Everton were on course for a 1-0 defeat at Anfield after conceding a brilliant second-half Gerrard free-kick.
Nobody would have expected that outcome to change as Dejan Lovren’s headed clearance bounced well outside of the box and towards Everton defender Phil Jagielka in the 91st minute.
Everton’s captain had not scored in the Premier League for almost 18 months.
But, having passed up an earlier opportunity to shoot and regretted it, Jagielka tried his luck when his second shooting chance arrived and the result was spectacular.
He ran onto the ball and unleashed the sweetest of strikes with the outside of his foot which flew into Simon Mignolet’s top corner, stunned Anfield and rescued a point for Everton.
“I don’t think I’ve seen a better strike in live football,” his manager Martinez said.
Mohamed Salah’s Puskas award-winning goal - December 2017
Mohamed Salah’s stunning goal in this Merseyside derby was not just a memorable way for him to mark his debut in the fixture, it also proved to be an award-winning effort too.
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Salah showcased some of his standout attributes to shrug off Cuco Martina, beat Idrissa Gueye and curl a fine finish around Ashley Williams and into Jordan Pickford’s top corner.
On the day it was only enough for a draw for Liverpool following Wayne Rooney’s late penalty equaliser.
But in September 2018 it topped a fan vote to win the FIFA Puskas award for the most aesthetically pleasing goal scored over the previous year, beating overhead kicks from Real Madrid duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale among others.
Salah's incredible goal v Everton
ICYMI, @MoSalah is a #Puskás award winner! #FIFAFootballAwards
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 25, 2018
👇THAT sensational derby day goal👇 pic.twitter.com/ulA1jSP6sl
Late Anfield drama - December 2018
A bizarre Jordan Pickford mistake, another derby goal for Divock Origi and a memorable celebration from Jurgen Klopp following Liverpool’s 96th minute winner.
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The most dramatic of conclusions ensured the December 2018 encounter went down in derby folklore.
It was heading for a goalless draw until Pickford failed to deal with Virgil van Dijk’s sliced volley.
Rather than help it over the bar as the ball dropped out of the sky, Pickford ended up putting it on a plate for 84th-minute substitute Origi to head into the net.
That was one of six goals Liverpool cult hero Origi scored against Everton, his most against one opponent and a remarkable 27 per cent of his Premier League tally (six out of 22).
And Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp celebrated it by sprinting onto the pitch punching the air before leaping into the arms of his goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Once calm was restored following the chaotic finish, a remorseful Klopp admitted his emotions had got the better of him.
“I didn’t want to run [when Origi scored], it was not my plan, I didn’t want to run to Ali and I couldn’t stop. It’s not cool, but it happened,” he said.
“I apologised immediately after to [Everton manager] Marco Silva, I didn't want to be disrespectful.”
Goodison controversy - October 2020
The first derby of the 2020/21 season was one of the most eventful and especially costly for Liverpool.
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It was marred by the season-ending injury suffered by Van Dijk following a challenge by Pickford, the first of a number of key injuries that derailed their Premier League title defence.
And not only did Liverpool lose their influential defender but Pickford avoided punishment and they were also not awarded a penalty as Van Dijk was offside before the incident.
Liverpool’s frustration was further compounded by how the match panned out.
They led twice, with Salah scoring his 100th Liverpool goal to make it 2-1, but were pegged back twice by Everton.
And after Richarlison's red for a challenge on Thiago Alcantara Liverpool then thought they had won the game in stoppage time.
But Jordan Henderson's goal was ruled out after a VAR review confirmed Sadio Mane was offside before setting it up and the game finished 2-2.
Everton end Anfield drought - February 2021
For more than two decades Everton travelled to Liverpool and failed to return victorious. But that run finally ended in February 2021.
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Everton eased past Liverpool 2-0, a first victory at Anfield since 1999 and the late Kevin Campbell’s famous winner for Walter Smith’s side.
The 2021 success under Carlo Ancelotti came in a match played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
It was also the fourth of six successive Premier League home defeats Liverpool suffered, after a 68-match unbeaten league run at Anfield, as their season unravelled amid an injury crisis.
But after waiting so long, any victory at Anfield would have been a sweet one for the Toffees.
“After a long time Everton are able to win at Anfield, it is a good gift for our supporters,” Ancelotti said.
Everton spoil Klopp's derby farewell - April 2024
This was not the fairytale end to his derby days that Klopp would have hoped for.
Having lost just one of his previous 18 derbies, and that being in the unique circumstances of the 2021 Anfield loss, Klopp suffered a convincing 2-0 defeat in his final match in this famous fixture last season.
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His first defeat at Goodison Park was one that left him apologising to Liverpool supporters and all but conceding the Premier League title.
“We were not good enough, we have to admit it. I really apologise for that,” said a downbeat Klopp whose side missed the chance to go level on points with leaders Arsenal with four matches left.
“We need a crisis at Manchester City and Arsenal and we need to win football games because if they start losing games and we do what we did tonight, nothing changes.”
The mood in the Everton camp was in stark contrast. On a raucous, emotional night at Goodison Park Sean Dyche’s fired-up players produced a performance befitting the occasion.
Goals from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin earned Everton a first home derby win since October 2010 which was also a big step on their way to sealing Premier League safety in 2023/24.
Dyche’s best match as Everton manager also came just nine days after one of his worst - their 6-0 humiliation at Chelsea.
He said: “After a really tough week for me, the team and for the fans, I asked them [the fans] to stay connected. I said just give us your lot and we will try and give it back and we have done.”
