Jota fires Liverpool to win over Everton in bad-tempered derby

Liverpool restored their 12-point lead on the high of the Premier League after Diogo Jota’s strike gained a feisty Merseyside derby 1-0 over Everton on Wednesday.

Everton captain James Tarkowski escaped with only a yellow card from an early wild problem on Alexis Mac Allister to set the tone.

The guests hit the publish via Beto within the first half, however noticed their nine-game unbeaten league run come to an finish when Jota fired dwelling simply earlier than the hour mark.

Victory means Liverpool want simply 13 factors from their remaining eight video games to be assured of a record-equalling twentieth English top-flight title.

An explosive final derby at Goodison Park in February noticed 4 purple playing cards brandished after the full-time whistle in a dramatic finale.

Tarkowski’s 98th-minute strike had salvaged a 2-2 draw for Everton.

Abdoulaye Doucoure’s celebrations in entrance of the travelling Liverpool help and Curtis Jones’ response noticed them each despatched off, whereas Liverpool boss Arne Slot and assistant Sipke Hulshoff had been proven purple playing cards for taking their protests in direction of referee Michael Oliver too far.

Temperatures rising

The unhealthy blood between the gamers was nonetheless simmering and Tarkowski was the villain for what ought to have been one other dismissal after simply 11 minutes.

The centre-back lunged in to clear and caught Mac Allister excessive on the ankle together with his studs however was proven only a yellow card by referee Samuel Barrott, who was not instructed by VAR to overview his authentic choice.

Everton are nonetheless to win at Anfield in entrance of a crowd since 1999, however travelled throughout Stanley Park in assured temper because of their upturn since David Moyes’ return for a second spell in cost which has nearly assured survival.

The Toffees had been twice inches away from entering into entrance earlier than the break.

Beto had the ball within the web however had strayed simply offside earlier than latching onto a ball excessive.

The Guinea-Bissau worldwide then charged via on objective after Virgil van Dijk mistimed his clearance and hit the publish.

Liverpool had suffered back-to-back defeats of their earlier two video games to Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle to finish their hopes of lifting the Champions League and League Cup.

Slot’s males upped their depth after a flat first half to ensure the title can be not vulnerable to slipping away.

There was extra controversy when the opening objective arrived as Luis Diaz was offside when Tarkowski minimize out a move aimed in direction of the Colombian.

Diaz pounced on the unfastened ball and flicked the ball into Jota’s path, who stored his cool to chop inside Idrissa Gueye and Tarkwoski earlier than smashing dwelling his first objective since January.

Diaz had the very best probability to double Liverpool’s lead when he fired a strong effort too near Jordan Pickford.

The Everton ‘keeper was concerned in one other flashpoint late on when he chopped down Darwin Nunez inside the world however after Barrott had already blown for a foul to Liverpool earlier within the transfer.

Slot’s pledge to not lose his cool as he did when the edges final met was examined as Liverpool’s frustration in direction of the officers threatened to boil over.

However they held out to get again to profitable methods and take one other massive step in direction of only a second league title in 35 years.