Liverpool beat Everton 2-1 to keep perfect Premier League start

LIVERPOOL, England – Liverpool kept up their 100% winning record to start the Premier League season after beating Everton 2-1 in the Merseyside derby on Saturday, only the third time in history the Reds have won their opening five league matches.

First-half goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike put Liverpool in command at Anfield before Idrissa Gana Gueye pulled one back for Everton after the break to set up a nervy finish. The result lifts Arne Slot’s side top of the table ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.

Liverpool started quickly in a typically charged derby atmosphere and got their reward after just 12 minutes. Mohamed Salah clipped a clever ball in behind the defence for Gravenberch, who calmly lifted his finish over Jordan Pickford into the corner. Salah nearly added another minutes later when his strike from the edge of the box rose just over.

Everton struggled to get a foothold but should have equalised when summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall shot wide after good play from Jack Grealish. Within moments they were punished, as Gravenberch slid through a perfect pass for Ekitike and the French forward beat Pickford with a low finish to make it 2-0.

Liverpool almost let Everton back into the game before half-time when goalkeeper Alisson misplaced a pass straight to Iliman Ndiaye, who crossed for Beto. On the stretch, the striker could only steer his effort wide of the Kop end goal.

Despite holding a two-goal advantage, Liverpool looked far less assured after the interval. Careless in possession, they were pegged back on 58 minutes when Gueye rifled a shot into the far corner after being set up neatly by Ndiaye. From then the momentum swung back and forth, with both sides creating openings. Konaté thought he had restored Liverpool’s two-goal cushion but his header was brilliantly blocked on the line by Grealish.

Everton pushed forward in the closing stages, David Moyes urging his side on from the touchline, but their lack of sharpness in the final third proved costly. Beto was again close while substitute Ndiaye caused problems, yet Liverpool held on for their fifth straight victory.

The result stretched Liverpool’s strong home record in this fixture – 18 wins from the last 29 Anfield derbies – and handed them early bragging rights in the city. Everton, whose four-match unbeaten run comes to an end, stay in mid-table while Liverpool keep momentum in their early title push.