Liverpool piled the pressure back on Manchester City and heightened Everton's relegation fears with a 2-0 win in the 240th Merseyside derby on Sunday.
Second-half goals from Andy Robertson and Divock Origi handed the Reds a victory at Anfield that meant the gap to leaders City now stands at just one point again. It also meant that Everton remain in the relegation places, two points behind in Burnley in 17th, albeit having played one game fewer.
Plenty of national media outlets were in attendance to watch the Reds march on and here is a round-up of what they- and us - had to say.
PLAYER RATINGS: Andy Robertson shines and Divock Origi delivers against Everton
YOUR SHOUT: Rate the Liverpool players after the 2-0 win over Everton
Henry Winter, via The Times
“At full-time of a seismic Merseyside derby, the Kop crowed at Everton’s discomfort and defeat, chanting “going down” and “this is your last trip to Anfield”. Everton have been in the top flight since 1954/55 but their position is increasingly perilous, especially with Burnley finding form.
“Everton resisted for an hour, relying on supreme work-rate, especially from the excellent Anthony Gordon, and some time-wasting from Jordan Pickford and Richarlison. Then Liverpool’s pressure, class and desire to keep pace with Manchester City told. Andy Robertson headed Liverpool in front, Divock Origi nodded in a second, and it was all over bar the shouting at the stricken visitors.
“As Liverpool supporters had launched into You’ll Never Walk Alone before the start, Everton fans turned their backs and they must surely be tempted to turn their gaze away from the Premier League table. Burnley’s win over Wolves had dragged Everton into the relegation zone. “Going down,” crowed the Kop constantly."
Martin Samuel, via the Mail Online
“An hour gone, Jurgen Klopp had seen enough. He didn’t need a packed midfield to win a game against an Everton team intent on spoiling. He needed goalscorers. He needed matchwinners. On came Divock Origi, a talisman for Liverpool in this fixture. And Origi changed the game.
“In doing so, he may yet change history for two clubs on Merseyside. Liverpool stay on course for the first quadruple in English football, waiting patiently in case Manchester City falter; Everton, meanwhile, drop into the bottom three for the first time this season just as April prepares to give way to May. Relegation is no longer some scarcely-contemplated worst-case scenario at Goodison Park. It is now a very plausible outcome indeed.
“Origi helped create the first, and scored the second. He has a splendid record against Everton, but these goals were potentially the most consequential of his career. Both were met with gleeful chants from the home fans.”
Andy Hunter, via The Guardian
“Frank Lampard’s relegation-threatened team impressed only for an unlikely derby hero to emerge in Andy Robertson, and a not-so-unlikely one in Divock Origi, to leave the Merseyside rivals competing for colossal stakes at opposite ends of the Premier League.
“Robertson timed his second goal of the season to perfection from a Liverpool perspective with nerves increasing among the home support before his 62nd-minute breakthrough. Origi appeared from the bench to torment Everton yet again with his sixth derby goal as Jürgen Klopp’s team made it 12 Premier League home victories in succession.
“The day ended with the local rivals separated by 50 points and with Liverpool having enjoyed 82.7% possession, the second-highest total in a game since Opta started collecting the data in 2003-04, but this was far from the procession that the statistics suggest or many had anticipated.”
Jason Burt, via The Telegraph
“Rarely has a Merseyside derby had such implications at the top and bottom of the Premier League table but then rarely has the gulf, the absolute chasm, between Liverpool and Everton been so great.
“Liverpool emphatically remain in the title hunt, reducing Manchester City’s advantage back down to a single point with now just five games to go, and while Everton did not suffer the chastening they feared their greatest fear was realised: they are now in the bottom three. The possibility of relegation is a dawning, growing, gaping reality.
“Burnley’s victory at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers had sent Everton into 18th place and while they showed fight and spirit and for long tracts of this encounter dragged Liverpool into a scrap it was ultimately not enough despite an outstanding performance from Anthony Gordon. Next up for them, next Sunday at Goodison Park, is Frank Lampard’s former club Chelsea.
“For Liverpool it was a result that not only kept the dream of an unprecedented ‘quadruple’ alive but, for some, there was also the added spite of a possible ‘fiver’ by helping to demote Everton from the top-flight for the first time since 1951.”
Paul Gorst, via the Liverpool Echo
“With hindsight, there was more than a whiff of inevitability about who the victors of the 240th Merseyside derby would be once the No.27 had flashed up on the substitutes' board. Having witnessed his Liverpool side toil and tussle to no avail, Jurgen Klopp had seen enough by the hour mark. Enter Divock Origi, the famous Everton scourge .
“Within moments of his arrival, his hold-up play allowed Mohamed Salah to cross for Andy Robertson for the opening goal before he put the seal on proceedings with a header past Jordan Pickford late on. It was, in so many ways, a poetic piece of symmetry to a Liverpool stay that is surely into its final weeks. It was back in December 2018 when Origi revived a career that was flatlining at Anfield courtesy of a close-range header. At the Kop End. Against Everton.
“Four years later, the Belgian might just have bookended things in the exact same manner with the sixth career goal against the Blues. If it is to be his last meaningful act in Liverpool red, there can be no more fitting contribution. But, given Origi's flair for unlikely heroism since that derby-day winner in 2018, don't rule out one more memorable moment from the No.27 between now and the end of the season..”
