Everton all but end Liverpool's title dream

Jurgen Klopp said before the game he has never enjoyed derbies because of the pressure surrounding them and he certainly will not savour his 19th and final fixture against the fired-up Toffees.

Goals in each half from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin earned Sean Dyche's team a deserved victory that lifts them eight points clear of the bottom three with four games remaining.

And with home games to come against Brentford and Sheffield United, sandwiching an away trip to third from bottom Luton, they will confident of avoiding a last day survival battle for a third season running.

But the defeat means Liverpool have dropped eight points in their last four League games and leaves them now praying that both title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City suffer a similar - if highly unlikely - collapse.

Klopp had lost only one of his previous 18 derbies in all competitions and that was in a behind closed doors game at Anfield during the Covid lockdown in 2021.

He could have few complaints about this defeat however with dogged Everton producing arguably their best performance of the season although Liverpool missed a number of good chances to get themselves back into the game while Jordan Pickford pulled off a string of fine saves to underline while he is England's no 1.

Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez, both recalled after being rested for the win at Fulham, left their shooting boots at home again and the closest Liverpool came to scoring was when Luis Diaz's shot hit the post in the second half.

Everton were right at it from the start and twice went close to taking the lead in the early minutes.

First Abdoulaye Doucoure couldn't move his feet quick enough and sent a good chance wide from Dwight McNeil's cross. Then Calvert-Lewin raced through a hesitant Liverpool defence and was brought down by Alisson as he took Jack Harrison's clever pass round the Liverpool keeper.

Referee Andrew Madley pointed to the spot only for VAR, after a lengthy delay, to rule correctly that Calvert-Lewin was offside as Harrison played the pass.

But Everton's bright start continued with Ben Godfrey heading wide from McNeil's free-kick. Moments earlier Godfrey had made a vital interception to stop Curtis Jones and Nunez from converting Salah's cross.

Liverpool played into Everton's hands by conceding a number of free-kicks in dangerous areas. From one of them James Tarkowski headed straight at Alisson, who also saved from a Calvert--Lewin header.

Such was Everton's upbeat start, it was no surprise when they took the lead after 26 minutes . Liverpool failed to deal with another McNeil free-kick and when Alexis Mac Allister mis-kicked the ball straight to Branthwaite he fired home, despite Alisson's scrambling efforts to keep the ball out.

Calvert-Lewin followed up to make sure but the ball was already over the line so the goal was awarded to Branthwaite.

Klopp became increasingly agitated on the touchlines and had a constant dialogue with fourth official Simon Hooper but Liverpool finally got their game together towards half-time and could have been level.

Nunez fired a good chance straight at Pickford who also saved from Diaz while the out of touch Salah fired high over the bar.

No doubt fired up by some choice words by Klopp, Liverpool came out for the second half with more intensity but it was Everton who increased their lead with Calvert-Lewin climbing above Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold to score with a towering far post header from McNeil's corner in the 57th minute.

Klopp responded by making a triple substitution after 63 minutes with Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis replaced by Jarell Quansah, Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott.

It almost brought an immediate reward with Diaz striking the inside of the far post with a thunderous shot.

Liverpool piled on the pressure towards the end with Pickford tipping over Elliott's volley but they Everton held firm putting bodies on the line and making numerous blocks and interceptions.

At the final whistle delirious Everton fans taunted Liverpool by chanting "you lost the League at Goodison Park.

More significantly the win virtually ensured they will stay in the top tier after another traumatic campaign.

Everton (4-4-1-1): Pickford 9; Godfrey 8, Tarkowski 8, Branthwaite 9, Mykolenko 6 (Young 46, 6); McNeil 8, Gueye 8 (Onana 74, 6), Garner 7, Harrison 7; Doucoure 7; Calvert-Lewin 8.

Unused subs: Virginia, Keane, Danjuma, Gomes, Chermiti, Warrington, Hunt.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson 6; Alexander-Arnold 6 (Gomez 83, 5), Konate 5 (Quansah 63, 5), Van Dijk 6, Robertson 6 (Tsmikas 83, 5); Szoboszlai 5 (Endo 63, 5), Mac Allister 6, Jones 7; Salah 5, Nunez 5, Diaz 5 (Elliott 63, 5).

Unused subs: Kelleher, Gravenberch, Clark, Danns.

Referee: Andrew Madley 7.