Liverpool vs Everton player ratings: Philippe Coutinho rises to the occasion as Reds fire three past Toffees

A player-by-player look at the two teams

Philippe Coutinho illuminated a feisty Merseyside derby with a stunning individual goal to inspire Liverpool to a 3-1 win over Everton on Saturday, helping the red half of the city maintain its recent dominance over its neighbor.

Liverpool's decision to hire a private jet to rush the Brazil playmaker back from international duty in South American qualifying paid off, with Coutinho scoring his team's second goal after a weaving run and also setting up Divock Origi for the clinching third in the 60th minute.

It's now 13 league games without defeat against Everton for Liverpool — equaling a club record — and an important win in the context of Champions League qualification, as Juergen Klopp's team consolidated its place in the top four.

Sadio Mane put Liverpool ahead in the eighth minute with another solo effort, before later going off with a left leg injury, and Matthew Pennington equalized against the run of play for an Everton side that came to Anfield in seventh place and as the league's form team.

In the end, though, Liverpool handled the occasion better than their rivals, with Coutinho and Origi settling the score for the Klopp's men.

Liverpool move up to third as their grasp on a top-four finish tightens.

So how did the two teams fare? See the gallery above for our player ratings.

Additional reporting by AP.