Prince Rupert's Tower
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Resiliant Everton hold on for Anfield win at last!

By Matt Townsend

Everton's players celebrate their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on February 20, 2021. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Everton's players celebrate their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on February 20, 2021. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Brilliant, fantastic, superb. I didn’t think they could do it, but finally Everton have won again at Anfield after a tremendously resiliant display in the Merseyside derby tonight secured a long-overdue 2-0 win. 

Going into this latest episode of English football’s most played derby game, Everton hadn’t won on their neighbours turf for 22 years. Now at long last that horrible losing run is at an end. Let’s hope the Toffees don’t make us wait another two decades for the next one!

Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti picked another different looking side for this crunch match. I have criticised him for chopping and changing recently, but this time it was forced on him as he had to re-jig his defence because of Yerry Mina’s injury – and it worked tonight.

So he went with what looked like a three-man backline of Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey either side of Micheal Keane. This is the return to a back-three I thought might be an option to solve the team’s defensive problems earlier in the campaign. But it didn’t work then because he wasn’t able to use his two full-backs properly and make it successful.

But with Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne both fit he decided to go with this formation once more. It also enabled him to play three in the middle and match up with Liverpool there.

Allan though wasn’t one of the three but he at least made the bench this week as his rehabilitation continues. So Tom Davies and Andre Gomes were alongside Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Up front  Ancelotti didn’t bring Dominic Calvert-Lewin straight back into the team and went with a new all-South American strikforce of James Rodriguez linking up midfield and Richarlison.

The other big decision was to give Jordan Pickford a vote of confidence in goal. I had said  I preferred Robin Olsen but I am more than happy to be proved wrong on this occasion! Pickford had a superb match perhaps his best in an Everton shirt for several seasons.

Not only did he make his usual bevy of fine reflex saves but he was also really solid and reliable under the high ball, which was made more difficult because of a windy winter’s night in Liverpool.

Well to the match itself and the Toffees made an unusually quick and positive start to one of these games scoring after just three minutes as the two South Americans linked up for Richarlison to fire home superbly.

Liverpool responded with a spell of concerted pressure but the Blues were really strong and determined defensively and they always looked to counter attack whenever they could. Pickford made several good stops, especially from Jordan Henderson. This set the pattern for the game as Everton conceded possession and yet proved unyeilding in defence.

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This sort of approach seems to best suit the Toffees as they can soak up pressure and then break incisively. And on once such attack Coleman had a great chance to make it two nil but instead forced a good save from Allison.

The pressure continued but depsite the home side having plenty of possession they couldn’t find a way past Everton’s rock-solid defence.

Holgate, Keane and Godfrey – what a great buy he has been – were immense and repelled almost everything thrown at them.

But although on paper this will look like a classic smash and grab raid by the Toffees, they always kept Liverpool honest and Richarlison was a constant threat up front while the wing-backs particularly Digne, provided a good outlet.

In the second half it was more of the same and although the Blues were looking pretty comfortable generally, without a second goal it always felt like it was a precarious lead.

Liverpool kept up the pressure and Pickford made another brilliant save from Mo Salah who was also doing some diving that would have made an Olympic swimmer proud!

Then with the tension rising and the minutes ticking away Everton won a penalty when substitute Calvert-Lewin was brought down by Trent Alexander-Arnold after good work from Richarlison. Gylfi Sigurdsson stepped up and put it away calmly and so the Toffees had that vital second.

No doubt Reds fans will moan about it but considering how many pens they have got from dodgy decisions down the years, we’ll live with it!

Everton held on under the almost unbearable tension of extra-time and then finally it was over. So at last some derby day joy for the Blues who also incidentally chalked up their first win in this fixture home or away since 2010. Now can this victory prove a chance to push on again?