By Steven Northover
Liverpool look all but certain to qualify for next season's Champions League after a dramatic derby victory against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Match Review
Credit: Daily Express
Not for the first time this season, Liverpool appeared to lack ideas at certain periods of the match, with Everton dominating for long stretches throughout, particularly in the first half. Indeed, the Blues scored first - albeit one ruled offside after Iliman Ndiaye's finish was ruled out after 27 minutes - before Liverpool took the lead two minutes later, with Mohammed Salah finishing a low Cody Gakpo cross past a helpless Jordan Pickford.
From there, the Reds dominated the rest of the half, but, as has also been a feature this season, they were never able to convert that dominance into goals. As such, the match descended into attack Vs defence, with the tension threatening to boil over.
Credit: BBC
But Everton grew back into the game, and once again dominated the early stages of the second half, especially as Liverpool remained sluggish to start after half-time. So it was inevitable, then, when Everton's Beto took advantage of yet more characteristic poor defending to poke home after 54 minutes.
Things got worse when Giorgi Mamardashvili was taken off injured four minutes later, after a clash with goalscorer Beto, to be replaced by Freddie Woodman for only his second appearance for the first team.
From there, the match turned attritional, with neither team really able to ‘outthink' the other, with the usual grit and needle you would expect from the Merseyside Derby, with the fouls and stoppages mounting up. With the match petering out, then, Arne Slot once again turned to the youthful exuberance of Rio Ngumoha, on for the ineffectual Alexander Isak on 72 minutes, to inject some excitement into the match, and as has been the tale throughout his burgeoning Liverpool career, the winger duly responded.
Liverpool were by far the better team in the latter phases of the game, largely down to Ngumoha's exploits, acting as an attacking fulcrum for the Reds' forward line. Plus, those stoppages earlier in the second half were transformed into seven minutes of injury time.
With Everton looking to see out a 1-1 draw that would have seen them move into the European places, the match moved into its 100th minute, and a Dominik Szoboszlai long-range shot was deflected out for a corner and with the last kick of the game, captain Virgil Van Dijk was just about able to leap higher than Everton defender James Tarkowski and head the ball into the net.
Credit: This is Anfield
So much of this match had the hallmarks and characteristics of Liverpool's failures this season: an inability to turn dominance into results, a meek and ineffective attack, and a simple lack of imagination to turn matches, were all on display at some point during this match, and there was was a real risk that they would once again not react to the chance of reinforcing their position on fifth, after Chelsea lost to Manchester United on Saturday.
However, made all the sweeter by beating an Everton side who were extremely confident of getting a result pre-match, Liverpool's win - and Chelsea's faltering season - now means Liverpool are likely to be the final English team to qualify for the Champions League next season. It's not a cup, the league, or a seventh European Cup, but this season has proved that this ‘’era’ of Liverpool Football Club is very much a work in progress, and will likely spend big again in the Summer - and the only way to do that is to qualify for the Champions League.
The final result may turn into one of those ‘’sliding door moments' in the history of Liverpool, akin to Chelsea at the end of the 2003 season, where results had gone a different way, then the future of Liverpool may have looked completely different.
Player Ratings:
Giorgi Mamardashvili: 6/10
Couldn't do anything about Beto's goal, made some decent saves throughout, but could be out for a couple of games after coming off injured and ultimately sent to hospital.
Curtis Jones: 6/10
Played out of position at Right Back, and it looked like it - sloppy at times, but grew into the game, and became increasingly important as the match reached its conclusion.
Ibrahima Konate: 5/10
His erratic season continues, whilst he used his physical strength well, his movement was slow, which gifted a number of chances to the opposition.
Virgil Van Dijk: 9/10
Solid throughout. Wasn't at fault for Everton's goal, and was a real thorn in their side throughout. Naturally the goal helps, but this was a really important performance from the captain.
Andy Robertson: 6/10
Solid again, but did not pull up any trees.
His passing is as good as it's ever been, but his movement appears to be slowing, as highlighted in the build up to Beto's goal.
Ryan Gravenberch: 6/10
Like a number of players I'm about to mention, didn't seem to get into the game for the first thirty minutes, made worse by a series of needless fouls just prior to Salah's first half goal, that on another day may have led to a couple of cards.
Dominik Szoboszlai: 6/10
Like Gravenberch, did not seem to get into the game for first theory minutes, in line with recent performances. His form in the middle part of the season really dragged the Reds through some tough periods, so it's probably inevitable he would lose a bit of form at the end of the season, but it would definitely help Liverpool to have him back to his best ASAP.
Florian Wirtz: 5/10
Wasteful throughout.
It's tempting to say the youngster has never experienced a derby like Everton vs Liverpool - but that would be doing a disservice to both his previous clubs and his national team, so ultimately just an all round poor game for the German.
Mohammed Salah: 8/10
Appears to have some of his mojo back in these closing matches of the season.
He was a threat throughout, culminating in his goal on 29 minutes. Was very much Liverpool's main attacking threat outside of his goal also, so it's exciting to seeing him attack more proficiently as his Liverpool career comes to a close.
Cody Gakpo: 7/10
Appeared really up for this match.
Was often Liverpool's most creative attacking threat, and it was his low cross that led to Mo Salah's opening goal.
Played some clever in side runs, catching the Everton defence off guard, causing Jordan Pickford to make some exquisite saves.
Alexander Isak: 3/10
Appears a long way from what had Liverpool shift £125 million for him in the summer.
Largely anonymous, the Swede needs this summer as much as anyone.
Substitutions:
Freddie Woodman: 6/10
Came under extremely tearing circumstances. That said, grew into the game quickly, and made a decent save against Ndiya.
Rio Ngumoha: 7/10
Injected real pace and tenacity into a faltering attack However, aside from a long range shots, and for all his hard work, his looked ineffectual at times
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