Liverpool tightened their grip on the Premier League title race with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over city rivals Everton at Anfield. The win not only secured Merseyside bragging rights but also pushed Arne Slot’s side within striking distance of their historic 20th top-flight championship.
Needing just 13 points from the remaining 24 to guarantee the title, the Reds had to work hard to break down Everton’s deep defensive setup. The breakthrough came in the 56th minute, thanks to a moment of brilliance from Diogo Jota.
The Portuguese attacker, quiet for much of the match, sprung to life after receiving a slick backheel from Luis Diaz. Jota weaved through defenders with quick footwork before calmly slotting past Jordan Pickford.
While replays showed Diaz may have been in an offside position earlier in the move, officials ruled that he wasn’t interfering with play, allowing the goal to stand.
Earlier, the match saw controversy when Everton’s James Tarkowski escaped with just a yellow card for a high challenge on Alexis Mac Allister. Despite catching the midfielder on the knee with his studs, VAR declined to upgrade the caution to a red card.
Liverpool had threatened before the goal, with Dominik Szoboszlai curling a free-kick narrowly wide and Mohamed Salah heading straight at Pickford. Meanwhile, Everton’s Beto caused problems, outmuscling Virgil van Dijk to score, only for it to be ruled out for offside. The striker later struck the post in a one-on-one situation with Kelleher.
The Reds raised the intensity in the second half, with Ryan Gravenberch forcing a strong save from Pickford before Jota ultimately delivered the decisive moment.
Everton Reflect on Missed Chances in Frustrating Loss
Everton’s nine-match unbeaten streak came to an end, and their Anfield curse continued, with David Moyes’ side failing once again to secure a victory at the ground. The veteran manager is still without a win in 22 visits—20 of those in the Premier League.
The Toffees were left wondering what might have been. Beto’s early chance, where he muscled past Van Dijk but failed to convert, proved costly. He later hit the post when clean through, summing up a frustrating night for the visitors.
The most controversial moment came in the 11th minute when Tarkowski avoided a red card for his high lunge on Mac Allister—a decision that sparked debate but ultimately didn’t alter the final result.
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