Liverpool thrash Everton in thrilling Merseyside derby to maintain unbeaten start

Liverpool 5-2 Everton: Jurgen Klopp’s rotated side continued their charge towards the Premier League title and piled more pressure on his opposite number Marco Silva

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And so entered a new viewing platform, an understudy in Liverpool’s goal, the reserve options upfront as well as in midfield for the hosts, but still there was no welcome change for Everton at Anfield.

It’s another Merseyside derby, the 18th in a row in the league that Everton have failed to win. On this ground, in this game that matters above all to them, Kevin Campbell’s strike in September 1999 – their last victory on enemy territory – will have felt an age away.

Amazon had launched in the UK a year before that match, a game best remembered for thunderous tempers and challenges with inevitable red cards. Now it was the broadcast vehicle – via Prime Video – for Everton’s latest nosedive. Welcome to the era of the buffering defeat.

Marco Silva’s defenders utilised a high line and were as cumbersome as dial-up connection in contrast to the fibre-optic movement of Divock Origi, Xherdan Shaqiri and Sadio Mane. The latter was in the mood to inform those who didn’t get the memo that he is one of the game’s best exponents at present: a cocktail of intelligence, speed, surety and supreme skill.

By half-time he had two glorious assists and a goal – Liverpool’s creator, finisher and firestarter. There were just six minutes on the clock when Mane dissected Yerry Mina and Michael Keane with a cerebral ball that Origi took around goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to add to his collection of derby delights.

Everton were up for the fight, aggressive in possession and trying to be progressive rather than obstructive, but they were soon 2-0 down.

Trent Alexander-Arnold hit a trademark dangerous diagonal, sniping most of the Everton team as it settled to Mane, who controlled and cut inside. He threaded a neat pass in behind the visitors’ defence which Shaqiri was alert to and slipped past Pickford.

Silva, now managing Everton on a game-by-game basis, needed a rapid reaction to give him a stay of execution and the away support some hope. That arrived courtesy of Michael Keane after Liverpool failed to deal with Alex Iwobi’s ball into the area.

The relief was short-lived as Dejan Lovren’s perfect 60-yard ping over the top was plucked by a godly Origi touch, before the striker lobbed Pickford.

Everton were then to feel the full force of Liverpool in transition, a Klopp-infused version of poetry in motion.

Virgil van Dijk headed away an Everton corner, and bang – Mane took possession, showed his strengths and his smarts to keep it, before feeding Alexander-Arnold down the left. He raced upfield with Xherdan Shaqiri in support on the opposite flank, but the right-back held his pass for the run of Mane. It was perfectly timed and weighted and Liverpool were 4-1 up in an instant.

With half-time approaching, Silva was gifted another sign that his players are still swinging for him as Bernard crossed after some slick passing for Richarlison to convert with a diving header.

Liverpool had five shots in total and four goals, but were lacking protection and midfield control. They allowed their opponents seven shots from inside the box.

The second 45 was defined by misses; Mane charitable enough not to compound Everton’s misery and Moise Kean going just wide with an opportunity to ensure a squeaky bum finish. Instead, fabulous footwork from Roberto Firmino was converted by Gini Wijnaldum to show 5-2 on the scoreboard as Silva’s spell on Merseyside flashed before his eyes.

In the aftermath of the uncomfortable 2-1 home victory over Brighton, Klopp reminded that there were different ways to win a game, adding: “A couple of them we’ve shown already. A couple more we will show.”

On Wednesday night, Liverpool pulled another victory out of the hat – this time without the suspended Alisson in goal, the injured Fabinho and Joel Matip, while the manager started Shaqiri and Origi rather than Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in front of a midfield that contained James Milner and Adam Lallana.

Klopp marked his 100th league win – the second fastest manager to reach that mark after Jose Mourinho – with a show of faith in his squad. And with Liverpool unbeaten in their last 32 top-flight matches, their longest-ever run without defeat in their history, why wouldn’t he?

England’s pacesetters have an item in their basket they are saving for later, namely the league title which they will hope to click and collect in May.