It was massively frustrating at times in the first hour or so, but Liverpool managed to get the job done against Everton this afternoon.
Frank Lampard's team arrived at Anfield today with a clear mandate: time waste and frustrate the hosts right from the first whistle. It largely worked in the opening half, with Liverpool failing to create any real chances of note.
However, a couple of substitutes would make a telling impact.
Klopp's side took the lead via a header from Andy Robertson, with Divock Origi playing a key role in laying the ball on for Mo Salah in the buildup.
Deadlock broken 🔒
Liverpool take the lead in the Merseyside Derby #LIVEVE |🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/2oTGf8ibhT— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 24, 2022
The Belgian would put the result beyond all doubt later in the game.
It was fellow substitute Luis Diaz that provided the assist on this occasion, with Origi finishing from close range.
🗣️ "Where do you want your statue Divock Origi." 👏
Origi adds another goal against Everton to his repertoire ✅✅ pic.twitter.com/cS1s4XvC1v— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 24, 2022
The result keeps Liverpool within touching distance of Manchester City in the title race, while Everton now find themselves in the bottom three after Burnley's win over Wolves earlier in the day.
While you could not argue that Liverpool didn't deserve the result, the game could have gone a bit differently had the away side been given a penalty in the second half.
It came when Anthony Gordon went down in the box after contact from Joel Matip, although the referee waved away his protests.
📸 - Gordon goes down in the box but no penalty says the referee. pic.twitter.com/51vwgAVXnf
— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) April 24, 2022
Perhaps the 21-year old's antics in the first half played a part in the decision. The winger went down far too easily on a number of occasions, including when he received a yellow card for diving after throwing himself to the ground inside the Liverpool box.
Could that have been a part in the referee's thinking for the second incident?
Speaking in the Sky Sports studio, Kevin Campbell felt it was a clear penalty, and while Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness felt it could well have been given, the fact that Gordon had dived on a few occasions in the opening half probably cost his team on this occasion.
🗣 "That's a stonewall penalty."
Graeme Souness and @Carra23 both agree that Anthony Gordon should've been awarded a penalty pic.twitter.com/bHTh91UZ8P— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 24, 2022
Souness: Don't you agree, in the first half the young boy gets pulled up for diving. He's got to get out of that, because straight away the referee and crowd are looking for that.
He did himself a disservice. He could have got that if he didn't dive in the first half.
He has planted a seed in the referee's head in the very first few minutes when he dived to try and get a penalty. If we're players out there, we're in the referee's ear saying 'he's a diver ref', you're planting the seed in the referee's head as well.
Carragher: He's got to be careful Anthony Gordon. He's a local player, I know some of his friends and family. He's a great player, one of the best players on the pitch today and he caused Liverpool plenty of problems.
He's got to be careful though. That wasn't the first time (he dived) in the first half, and it definitely will be in referee's heads.
Maybe he hasn't got what he deserved because of incidents in three or four other games. That is a stonewall penalty.
It could have been a different game had that decision been given, although Liverpool dominated the final half an hour after brining on Diaz and Origi.
Everton sit two points behind Burnley in 18th position, and while they do have a game in hand, there are in a huge amount of trouble as we enter the defining period of the season.
SEE ALSO: Ian Wright Warns Manchester City To Be Careful When Considering Gabriel Jesus Future
