Liverpool

Liverpool stretched their perfect Premier League start to maintain their stranglehold of the Merseyside derby with a 2-1 win over Everton on Saturday.

With the win, Liverpool open up a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.

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Goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike were the defending champions’ reward for a dominant first half and enough for a fifth consecutive Premier League win.

But the Reds ran out of steam after the break and were left hanging on after Idrissa Gana Gueye fired Everton back into the contest.

Liverpool had needed late goals to win all of their previous four Premier League games and Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid in midweek.

This time, the Reds did the bulk of their good work inside the first 30 minutes to leave Everton still without a win at Anfield in front of a crowd in the 21st century.

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Arne Slot left both his £100 million ($135 million) plus signings, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, on the bench, but Liverpool were all the better balanced for the return of Alexis MacAllister alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and the impressive Gravenberch in midfield.

The Dutch midfielder broke the deadlock just nine minutes in with a deft finish on the half-volley from Mohamed Salah’s cross.

Ekitike rolled Gravenberch’s pass through the legs of Jordan Pickford for his third goal in five Premier League games since his move from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Everton had a lifeline just before the hour mark when Jack Grealish’s deep cross was turned back into the path of Gueye, who blasted his past Alisson Becker.

Liverpool manage to see out a nervy finale to inflict an unwanted record on Everton boss David Moyes. The Scot has now failed to win in 23 trips to Anfield as a visiting coach, the most any Premier League manager has played at a stadium without victory.

The Star

Segun Ojo
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