Everton v Liverpool result: Has Van Dijk wrapped up race for Champions League despite goalkeeper crisis?

Virgil van Dijk scored a 100th-minute winner as Liverpool left it late to beat Everton in the first Merseyside derby to be played at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and claim a huge Premier League victory.

Mohamed Salah had struck Liverpool’s first goal at Everton’s new stadium just two-and-a-half minutes after Iliman Ndiaye thought he had given the hosts a deserved lead, only to see his strike disallowed for an offside in the build-up.

Everton responded well in the second half and pulled themselves level when Beto slid in to finish Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s cross, which left Liverpool turning to their third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman after an injury to Giorgio Mamardashvili.

Substitute Rio Ngumoha had a very late chance to win the derby for Liverpool but, in the last minute of 11 minutes of stoppage time, Van Dijk rose to head in a corner and secure a famous win for the visitors.

It leaves Liverpool seven points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea in the race for the final Champions League spot, with five games of the season remaining. Chelsea lost 1-0 to Manchester United last night.

Has Van Dijk’s latest Merseyside derby winner wrapped up top-five race?

Virgil van Dijk’s first goal for Liverpool came as he rose from an inswinging corner from the left to head in a late winner against Everton in the FA Cup third round. Eight years on from the captain’s dramatic debut at Anfield, Van Dijk provided another historic Merseyside derby moment when he headed in Liverpool’s winner at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Liverpool have conceded seven goals in stoppage-time in the Premier League this season, losing games at Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Wolves and against Manchester City. But this was a call-back to Liverpool’s run at the start of the season, when they won games late on against Bournemouth and Newcastle. Liverpool are often involved in late drama, but Arne Slot could reflect that it was about time it went his side’s way.

It could be crucial in the race to finish in the top-five, which is what Liverpool’s failed Premier League title defence has come down to after recent exits from the Champions League and FA Cup. After Chelsea’s defeat at home to Manchester United last night, Liverpool have opened up a seven-point advantage over the sixth-placed Blues with five games to go. That is surely insurmountable.

Aston Villa grabbing a late winner in a 4-3 thriller against Sunderland is a further blow to Chelsea’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League. With five games to go there is still room for some twists and turns, but anything other than a win for Liam Rosenior’s side at Brighton on Tuesday could mean the race for the top five is realistically over.

Mohamed Salah makes more history in final derby

Part of Mohamed Salah’s legacy at Anfield is his outstanding record against Liverpool’s two biggest rivals: Manchester United and Everton. On his last Merseyside derby, Salah made sure to bag himself another record, and write his name into the history of this fixture one last time before he leaves Liverpool at the end of the season.

Just a couple of moments after Iliman Ndiaye thought he had scored the first Merseyside derby goal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Salah was clinical as he finished first-time from Cody Gakpo’s excellent ball across the face of goal. After scoring Liverpool’s last goal at Goodison Park, he had their first in Everton’s new home.

It also took Salah level with Steven Gerrard for the most Premier League goals in the Merseyside derby, with nine. Like this one, many of those finishes had been slipped, cooly, past Jordan Pickford, leaving England’s No 1 with no chance.

Everton could rue losing the ball in the build-up, with Dwight McNeil giving it away as the hosts looked to build from the back. But Liverpool, and Salah, were ruthless. It rather compounds the strangeness of Arne Slot’s decision not to start him against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek.

Goalkeeper crisis for Liverpool after Mamardashvili injury

Liverpool could enter a crucial stretch of their season down to their third-choice goalkeeper after Giorgio Mamardashvili was stretchered off with an injury sustained when Beto slid in to score Everton’s equaliser. It was unclear if Beto or the recovering Andy Robertson collided with Mamardashvili, but the Georgia international was left in serious pain. Arne Slot later said he went to hospital due to a “big wound, an open wound”.

It meant Freddie Woodman made just his second appearance for Liverpool, and Premier League debut for the Reds, as a second-half substitute. With Everton pushing for a winner, it was difficult circumstances for the 29-year-old to come into, and they was a nervous moment as he had to come out from his box to head away after Virgil van Dijk guided the ball back to him.

Woodman may now be required to play a significant part in Liverpool’s run-in as they aim to finish in the top-five and qualify for the Champions League. Alisson Becker may not return before the end of the month and Liverpool’s No 1 has been out since March with his own injury issues. Woodman’s only previous appearance for Liverpool came in the 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup earlier this season and he may need to face the Eagles again when they travel to Anfield next weekend.

That would be another big challenge for an inexperienced goalkeeper, but it was telling Liverpool’s players surrounded Woodman to celebrate victory at the full-time whistle. Slot, however, said Liverpool could have Mamardashvili back sooner than expected. “It’s not going to be a long-term injury. Let’s see if he is available for next week,” Slot said. “We’ve had almost in all positions our problems and now even two goalkeepers being out.”

Anonymous Isak and Wirtz struggle to make an impact

With Hugo Ekitike sidelined for the rest of the season, and much longer, this was another difficult day for Liverpool’s two other expensive signings in Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Neither looked ready for the frantic nature of a Merseyside derby away from home, with Isak still working his way up to full fitness and Wirtz still adjusting to the physicality of the Premier League.

Both were quiet in the early spell where Everton were on top. Isak managed just two touches in the first 40 minutes of the game, before firing straight at Jordan Pickford shortly before half-time in his only sight of goal. Wirtz managed to find Isak at one stage and send him through on goal, but Jarred Branthwaite was quite easily able to get across and muscle the striker off the ball.

Liverpool lost control in the second half and when Everton equalised it came following another sustained period of pressure. Arne Slot eventually reacted by withdrawing Isak for Rio Ngumoha in the 72nd minute, and then Wirtz for Alexis Mac Allister as part of a double-change in the 84th minute. Neither had made an impact and the changes could have come much earlier.

Beto makes amends but Everton rue missed chances

With Everton roared on by a feverish atmosphere in the first Merseyside Derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool would have been expecting their neighbours to make a lightning start. Still, they did not look prepared for how Everton would fly out of the traps and Arne Slot’s side were very fortunate to not fall behind early on.

Giorgi Mamardashvili first made an important stop to deny Beto’s header before Everton twice got in behind the Liverpool defence. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was played in with a ball over the top and demanded a penalty after stand-in right back Curtis Jones came in from the side and challenged him with his shoulder. Beto was slipped through but was closer to the corner flag than the goal with his finish as he opened up his body and looked for the far corner.

Iliman Ndiaye’s goal ended up being a hugely deflating moment, as Everton went from thinking they had taken a deserved lead to going behind just two-and-a-half minutes later. But Beto made amends in the second half as he slid in to score Everton’s equaliser. After their earlier let-offs, Liverpool were once again caught out by the ball over the top, with Dewsbury-Hall finding space and shrugging aside Ibrahima Konate before firing the ball across.