Football writer Alex Keble assesses Liverpool's 1-0 Merseyside derby victory, which sees them regain their 12-point lead over Arsenal.
The roar that greeted the final whistle at Anfield was about so much more than victory in the Merseyside derby and bragging rights again for the Liverpool supporters.
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Liverpool are a maximum of just 13 points away now. Four wins and a draw from their remaining eight Premier League matches and a first title in five years – a first title in front of supporters in 35 years – is theirs.
If, or when, it comes, it will be richly deserved and up there with any of the great Liverpool titles.
Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.
A long March break from Premier League action has produced some strange conversations. The void has to be filled with talk about something, and in too many circles that talk has been about whether Liverpool will be particularly good champions.
It’s just noise. Liverpool are on 73 points from 30 matches - an outstanding total - and are on course to finish on 92.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
30 | +43 | 73 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
30 | +30 | 61 |
But more than just points tallies, this is a powerful, sharp and mature Liverpool team able to control difficult opponents, keep a lid on their emotions and find the higher gears when it matters.
Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Everton was far from a classic. But it contained all of the traits that will surely, just a few weeks from now, make Arne Slot’s side worthy champions.
Liverpool struggle to contain Everton in a gritty first half
This was a tough match in the first half in particular for Liverpool, who will have anticipated Everton’s dogged defensive approach but nevertheless struggled to fully contain their counter-attacks.
Once the match had settled, Everton’s long balls up to Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure caused a few problems, with Beto twice going through one-on-one, hitting a post and scoring a goal that was ruled out for a fractional offside.
On both occasions it was Virgil van Dijk who got into trouble, and yet fortunately for Liverpool the Beto versus Van Dijk head-to-head ultimately was not the most important one of the match.
Luis Diaz repeatedly caused Jake O’Brien problems in that first half, finding space to attack the Everton right-back over and over again, and near the beginning of the second half it was a Diaz flick, from an inside left position, that assisted the winner.
Diaz created six chances, the most by a Liverpool player against Everton in a Premier League match since Mohamed Salah in December 2017 (also six). Yet it could have been so different had Beto hit the inside of the post and not the outside.
Green arrow: successful pass; Red line: failed pass; Yellow line: chance created; Blue line: assist
Slot switches things up with longer balls to find breakthrough
Liverpool survived to the break – and then went up a gear at the start of the second half.
The most important period of a scrappy match was the first 10 minutes after the break, when Slot’s side made the surprising decision to start hitting longer forward passes from deeper positions.
Green arrow: successful pass; Red line: failed pass
Having dominated possession at a low tempo in the first, perhaps Slot decided his team needed to shake things up and force a more open contest with direct football.
And it worked. Diaz’s flick, and the superb skill from Diogo Jota to weave through and score, was in keeping with the erratic, high-tempo surge of football that had taken hold of Anfield after Van Dijk and company began looking for long passes in behind the Everton defence.
Liverpool might win the league before May
Slot’s first Merseyside derby victory, a milestone for him, means the title could be won as early as 20 April if results go Liverpool’s way.
It was a huge win, bigger than it might seem to neutrals given the size of Liverpool’s lead prior to tonight.
After such a long break, and straight after losing the EFL Cup final, there was always the small risk heads could drop and energy could wane.
Instead, everyone knows Liverpool are back, focused and ready to do a professional job.
Wins against Fulham (A), West Ham (H), Leicester City (A), and Tottenham Hotspur (H) should do it, assuming Arsenal – with matches against Real Madrid packed in – drop points along the way.
Liverpool's next five PL fixtures
Not that Slot is getting carried away.
“Everyone showed today again how difficult it is to win a football game in the Premier League, and we know we are going to face eight very tough challenges,” he said to Sky Sports after the game.
“But as long as the players give as much as they gave today, we are in a very good position.”
