Liverpool v Everton player ratings: Bajcetic 8, Gakpo 7; Gueye 7, Coady 4

Reds win Merseyside derby 2-0 at Anfield for first Premier League victory of 2023

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  LIVERPOOL PLAYER RATINGS: Alisson – 6. Had little to do, with Everton rarely offering much outside of Tarkowski’s effort in the first half. Reuters

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  Andy Robertson – 7. Won the battle on his flank and was tireless with his runs down the left channel that stretched Everton’s defence. Booked after kicking the ball past Pickford when being called for offside. Reuters

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  Joe Gomez – 7. Quick to anticipate play and used his pace to sweep up through balls in behind from Everton attacks. A much improved display after last time around against Wolves. AFP

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  Joel Matip – 6. A mixed game for Matip who still doesn't look back to his best form, and made a couple of mistakes that could have been punished on another day. Settled down in the second half. Reuters

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  Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7. Stretched play going forward and patient with his passing decisions. Linked well with Salah, and he was eventually rewarded for his positive play after picking out Gakpo at the back post for Liverpool’s second goal. Getty

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  Fabinho – 6. Kept things simple and transitioned the ball forward with little risk. Didn’t make too many defensive challenges, but his astute positioning meant it was difficult to break through Liverpool’s midfield. AP

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  Stefan Bajcetic – 8. Some questioned the 18-year-old's inclusion, but Bajcetic rose to the occasion. A solid performance where he looked at ease despite the pressure. The midfielder controlled the game from a more advanced area, while he also contributed in a number of defensive phases. EPA

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  Jordan Henderson – 7. Liverpool's midfield looked more organised with the return of their skipper, who kept things simple and helped initiate the press at the right times. AFP

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  Darwin Nunez – 7. Caused problems for Everton throughout, and it was his determined run from the counter-attack before he showed the composure to pick out Salah for the opening goal. AP

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  Cody Gakpo – 7. Provided some good moments of link up play, and after missing an opportunity in the first half, the Netherlands international made no mistake with his finish after the break. AFP

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  Mohamed Salah – 7. Aggressive in possession and used his strength to hold-off attackers before bringing others into play. Salah was back to his best on the night, though he would probably have wanted to score more than the one that opened the scoring in the first half. Reuters

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  SUBS: Diogo Jota (Nunez 70’) – 6. Stretched play on the left flank and was unlucky not to be picked out in a promising position by Bajcetic, and then by Milner. PA

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  James Milner (Henderson 80’) – N/A. Came on for Henderson and should have probably had an assist, with his cross towards Jota intercepted. Reuters

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  Roberto Firmino (Gakpo 80’) – N/A. An awaited return from injury from Firmino who will be glad to get some minutes in the bank. EPA

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  Naby Keita (Bajcetic 89’) – N/A. On for the final minutes. AFP

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  Harvey Elliott (Salah 89’) – N/A. Played the final minutes when introduced for Salah. AP

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  EVERTON PLAYER RATINGS: Jordan Pickford – 5. It wasn't clear what Pickford was doing with his positioning for the first goal, though it was a difficult counter attack to deal with. Little he could do about the second. AFP

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  Vitaliy Mykolenko – 5. The left-back was unable to match his level of performance against Saka last week, with the Ukraine international struggling to keep Salah from making an impact. Getty

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  James Tarkowski – 5. Saw his back post header strike the woodwork, before Liverpool scored from the resulting counter. Made a strong intervention to stop the scoreline getting to 3-0 in the second half. PA

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  Conor Coady – 4. A poor mistake saw him fail to clear a cross that he had the chance to get a foot to, and that allowed Liverpool to double their lead early into the second half. Sometimes sloppy with his decision-making. Getty

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  Seamus Coleman – 6. Struggled to keep up with the pace of Nunez with Liverpool targeting his side, but he did make a number of interventions when dropping off more. PA

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  Idrissa Gueye – 7. One of Everton’s best players despite a poor result, making multiple defensive stops to put an end to Liverpool breaks. Flashed a shot over the bar in the first half. EPA

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  Abdoulaye Doucoure – 4. Poor positional play saw Doucoure too easy to play through at times, while he also offered little going forward. Reuters

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  Amadou Onana – 4. Wasteful play saw Onana turnover the ball needlessly at times, and he seemed to be drawn into the occasion too much with some of his tackles. Reuters

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  Dwight McNeil – 6. Worked hard on the left-flank to his manager's delight, applying pressure to Alexander-Arnold in the right moments, but couldn't make an impact with the ball. AP

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  Ellis Simms – 6. Ran the channels well and caused some problems for Liverpool, with the forward targeting the space behind Matip. Getty

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  Alex Iwobi – 6. Iwobi’s crosses were too easily dealt with in a game where he his opportunities arose in spells. Inaccurate with his passing. AFP

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  SUBS: Demarai Gray (Simms 61’) – 6. Couldn’t get on the ball, with Everton’s midfield struggling to maintain any sort of meaningful possession, and it was clear that had an effect on Sean Dyche’s forwards. PA

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  Neal Maupay (McNeil 78’) – N/A. On with 12 minutes to go as the Toffees tried to get something from the game, but he hardly had a touch of the ball. EPA

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  Tom Davies (Onana 78’) – N/A. Everton’s best chance of the second half fell to Davies shortly after he came on, but the midfielder got the finish all wrong after looking to be distracted by Alexander-Arnold. PA

Cody Gakpo scored his first goal for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp's side halted a dismal run by beating struggling city rivals Everton 2-0 at Anfield in the Premier League on Monday.

Mohamed Salah opened the scoring in the 36th minute of a typically fast-paced Merseyside derby, linking up with Darwin Nunez on the counter-attack just after Everton had missed a glorious double chance to take the lead.

Netherlands forward Gakpo extended the hosts' lead early in the second half to get his first goal in his seventh match for Liverpool since joining from PSV Eindhoven in January.

Liverpool started the game having lost three of their last four league matches while conceding nine goals and scoring one, while Everton were hopeful of turning a corner under new manager Sean Dyche after a win over leaders Arsenal last time out.

But Klopp's side were stronger and sharper than their neighbours and earned their first league victory of 2023 to climb to ninth in the standings on 32 points after 21 games.

Everton were left in the relegation zone on 18 points from 22 matches.

Adam Brown has provided the player ratings from Anfield in the photo gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.