Online Reporter
LIVERPOOL. — Liverpool held off a spirited Everton fightback to claim a 2-1 Premier League victory in a tense Merseyside derby at Anfield on Saturday, preserving their perfect start to the season and moving further ahead atop the table after five games.
First-half goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike gave Arne Slot’s men a commanding lead, but Idrissa Gueye’s second-half strike ensured a nervy finish for the hosts, who have now won all five league matches to open their campaign.
Everton dropped one spot to seventh in the table after their second loss of the season.
Gravenberch struck in the 10th minute when Mohamed Salah sent a ball over the top that the Dutch international met on the bounce for a superb finish, hooking his shot beyond the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
‘‘I’m really happy with the goal,’’ Gravenberch told TNT Sports. ‘‘Last season I did not score a lot so I’m really happy, especially in a Merseyside derby.
Close-season signing Ekitike, who started ahead of Liverpool’s British record signing Alexander Isak, doubled the lead in the 29th when the Frenchman took one touch from Gravenberch’s pass before finishing through Pickford’s legs.
But Everton grew into the game and Gueye pulled one back in the 58th when he lashed a shot into the far left corner after Iliman Ndiaye had cleverly cut back Jack Grealish’s cross.
The nerves were palpable over the final few minutes of an entertaining afternoon in lashing rain as Everton parked in Liverpool’s end but, try as they might, the Toffees could not find the back of the net.
Liverpool had 11 shots to Everton’s nine.
‘‘A very good feeling,’’ Ekitike told TNT. ‘‘We knew it was going to be a tough game — it was. We had to fight until the last minute. But yeah, I’m happy, proud. It was good test for me. We just have to keep going.’’ Isak replaced Ekitike midway through the second half for his Liverpool league debut, but Slot shrugged off any suggestion of controversy around which striker will be his starter.
‘‘Organising big sporting events as part of a development strategy to promote tourism, to promote investment, there’s nothing wrong with that in and of itself.
‘‘There’s no headache at all. These two players are very happy we have them both. Both of them know it’s very hard for them to play three times 90 (minutes),’’ said Slot, whose team played their third game in a week.
‘‘Hugo comes to a new intensity league. You can see the ones who are used to that — Virgil (Van Dijk), Ryan, Mo (Salah). But for the new ones you can see that’s harder.
‘‘Alex is far from ready to play 90. We are trying to bring him there as long as he stays fit. It’s nice that you can ask me this question about any position.’’
Everton winger Jack Grealish, who has been excellent since his loan move from Manchester City, stopped what looked to be a sure goal in the 73rd minute when he blocked Ibrahima Konate’s blistering header with his chest.
Moyes said his team’s performance in the second half warranted a better result.
‘‘We’d just given them too much in the first half,’’ he told the BBC. ‘‘Boys done a decent job and never gave up, showed a great deal of resilience.’’ — Reuters
derick.khumalo