Match reportVirgil van Dijk scores 100th-minute winner as Liverpool beat Everton in Merseyside derby
Virgil van Dijk scored in the 10th minute of stoppage time to secure a dramatic 2-1 win for Liverpool over Everton in the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The captain headed home Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner to snatch an invaluable three points in the race for Champions League qualification.
The Reds had first taken the lead after half an hour as Mohamed Salah marked his final derby appearance with a record-equalling ninth Premier League goal against the Blues.
Just moments earlier, an Iliman Ndiaye strike for the hosts was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Beto then equalised for Everton in the early stages of the second half, but there was to be late, late drama as Van Dijk nodded in Liverpool’s sixth stoppage-time winner versus their neighbours in the Premier League.
The result leaves Arne Slot’s team seven points above sixth-placed Chelsea with five top-flight games remaining this season.
Team
Slot made four changes to his starting XI, with Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, Andy Robertson and Salah the players restored to the line-up.
Liverpool: Mamardashvili (Woodman, 58), Van Dijk, Konate, Wirtz (Mac Allister, 83), Szoboszlai, Isak (Ngumoha, 72), Salah, Jones, Gakpo (Frimpong, 83), Robertson (Kerkez, 86), Gravenberch.
Unused subs: Pecsi, Chiesa, Nyoni.
First half
A fine save by Giorgi Mamardashvili – the Liverpool goalkeeper clawing away Beto’s header down to his left – prevented Everton from taking a lead with six minutes gone amid a predictably raucous atmosphere.
But, having weathered the early storm, the Reds grew into the contest and Gakpo saw a shot deflect wide off James Tarkowski after the forward had darted inside off the left flank.
A pivotal two-minute spell during which both teams scored followed – though Everton’s celebrations were cut short as Ndiaye’s goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
And, moments later, their disappointment was compounded by the sight of Salah wheeling away towards a delirious away end.
Gakpo was the creator, the No.18 bisecting the Blues’ back line with a superb pass that Salah met with a firm, first-time finish that drew him level with Steven Gerrard as the Reds’ top Premier League scorer in derbies.
Liverpool controlled the remainder of the half, with Gakpo forcing Pickford into action with a powerful, rising drive and Alexander Isak shooting straight at the Everton ’keeper in stoppage time.
Second half
The Reds began the second half with lengthy spells of comfortable possession, but their play lacked a cutting edge and their failure to get a second goal was soon punished, as Beto slid home Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s low cross at the near post.
To make matters worse, Mamardashvili was injured in the process of trying to stop the goal, meaning Freddie Woodman came off the bench to make his Premier League debut for Liverpool.
The visitors’ response was good and, on the hour, Gakpo saw a header cleared off the line from Salah’s delivery.
The play was becoming stretched and Woodman parried Ndiaye’s strike before Robertson strode forward and shot wide at the other end.
Neither side was able to carve out clear-cut chances until Liverpool did so in the eighth minute of stoppage time, only for Rio Ngumoha to shoot over the crossbar at the end of a well-worked move.
It appeared that would be the final opportunity to claim all three points but, for the second time in his glorious Liverpool career, Van Dijk nodded home a late derby winner.