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LIVERPOOL: Everton ended a 22-year wait to win a Merseyside derby at Anfield when goals from Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson delivered a 2-0 win that condemned Liverpool to a fourth straight Premier league failure.
The Toffees had not won a derby on any ground in 23 previous meetings dating back to 2010, but they made the most of the lost invincibility of the English champions in front of empty stands.
Victory takes Carlo AncelottiThe men are tied on points with their local rivals and with one game in hand to enter the battle for a top four result.
After a 68-game home unbeaten streak in the league came to an end last month, Liverpool have lost four straight home games for the first time since 1923.
Jurgen Klopp’s men remain sixth, three points behind Champions League spots, and suffered another major injury when captain Jordan Henderson limped off midway through the first half with a muscle problem.
The fate of Liverpool’s title defense was irrevocably damaged by the loss of Virgil van Dijk to a knee ligament injury when the two sides last met in October.
Van Dijk was present as he continues his rehabilitation, but the gap he left was exposed in three minutes.
Season-ending injuries to Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have exacerbated the absence of the Dutch talisman, forcing Liverpool to sign two new center-backs on the final day of the January transfer market.
Ben Davies has yet to debut, while Ozan Kabak is off to a far from promising start.
The Turkish international’s lack of pace was exposed in a 3-1 loss to Leicester last weekend and was again caught off guard when James Rodriguez released Richarlison from behind to confidently shoot his fellow Brazilian international Alisson Becker.
Liverpool were furious at Jordan Pickford’s lunge that injured Van Dijk in the previous derby.
The England international has also received much criticism for his performances this season, but produced an impressive save to deny Henderson an equalizer on a volley.
Moments later, Henderson, who has been a substitute for center back for the past three months instead of his normal midfield role, added to Liverpool’s long list of injuries when stopped.
Klopp could only smile wryly at the loss of his patron, but thanked his keeper for not losing 2-0 at halftime.
Alisson made a series of foot mistakes that led to goals against Manchester City and Leicester, but he showed why he is still regarded as one of the best blocks in the world with a reflex save from Seamus Coleman’s header.
Liverpool responded early in the second half by pushing Everton back, but the Reds’ lead was again lacking at Anfield.
Aside from Mohamed Salah’s penalty in a 4-1 loss to City, Klopp’s men have been unable to score in their last five home games.
Sadio Mane planted a header directly into Pickford’s arms before the Senegalese was denied by a desperate last-minute challenge from Michael Keane.
Ancelotti featured top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin during the final half hour upon his return from injury.
And the gamble paid off in a rare counterattack by the visitors when the England international was beaten by Trent Alexander-Arnold after Alisson had spared his first effort.
Sigurdsson kept his cool from the penalty spot to double Everton’s lead and undermine any enduring Liverpool belief to end their losing streak.
