The match at Anfield saw Liverpool assert their dominance early, but they struggled to create clear scoring opportunities against the resolute Toffees. Everton's center-back duo, James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, held their ground admirably. Sean Dyche's team also suffered a setback when Ashley Young was shown two yellow cards in the first half.
Despite the numerical advantage, Liverpool appeared to lack direction in their attack. It was not until Michael Keane was penalized for handling Luis Diaz's cross with his arm that Liverpool finally broke the deadlock through Mohamed Salah's powerful penalty. Salah later sealed the win with a composed first-time finish during injury time in the second half, capitalizing on a swift Liverpool counter-attack.
The victory briefly propelled Liverpool to the top of the league standings, surpassing Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester City, although the latter two have since reclaimed the position.
Nonetheless, Klopp left the game with another remarkable individual record. He now boasts nine Premier League Merseyside derby victories, more than any other manager in the competition's history. Prior to this match, Klopp had been tied with former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, with eight Merseyside derby wins in the top flight, along with two FA Cup third-round victories in the 2017-18 and 2019-20 seasons.
Klopp's overall record in Merseyside derbies now stands at 11 wins, six draws, and only one defeat in 18 games against Everton as a manager, that sole loss occurring behind closed doors at Anfield in February 2021.
The German coach admitted to being uncertain about what to expect from his reconfigured team before the game, especially considering Dominik Szoboszlai had never played in a derby before. Nevertheless, Klopp was pleased with his team's ability to maintain their composure and focus in the second half, not allowing frustration to get the better of them.
