EPL: Liverpool Snatch Derby Win Over Everton With Van Dijk Stoppage-Time Goal
Van Dijk struck in the 100th minute as Liverpool edged Everton 2-1. The win eases pressure on Arne Slot and puts Liverpool seven points clear in fifth.
Virgil van Dijk’s 100th-minute header gave Liverpool a 2-1 win over Everton in the first PL Merseyside...
Virgil van Dijk struck a 100th-minute winner to give Liverpool a 2-1 victory over Everton in the first Premier League Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The result moves Liverpool seven points clear inside the top five.
The venue was new, but Everton supporters recreated the classic Goodison Park atmosphere at Hill Dickinson Stadium ahead of kickoff.
David Moyes’ team nearly grabbed an ideal start when Beto’s flicked header was turned away by a diving save from Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The Georgian keeper then denied James Garner’s whipped free kick before Beto dragged a one-on-one chance well wide, with the Toffees dominating the early exchanges.
Liverpool didn’t register a shot until the 21st minute, when James Tarkowski blocked Cody Gakpo’s effort.
The Reds were second best for much of the half, but two moments in three minutes midway through changed the game.
Iliman Ndiaye thought he’d put Everton ahead in the 27th minute, only for VAR to rule Jake O’Brien marginally offside in the build-up. The decision denied Ndiaye the honor of scoring the first Merseyside derby goal at this ground.
That distinction instead went to Mohamed Salah minutes later. The Egyptian ran onto Gakpo’s superb pass and finished first time, drawing level with Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s joint-top Premier League scorer in this fixture with nine goals.
Gakpo nearly made it 2-0 three minutes before halftime, cutting inside and curling a shot that forced Jordan Pickford into a diving tip over the bar.
Liverpool began the second half on top, but the momentum shifted nine minutes after the restart when Beto turned in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s low cross for his eighth Premier League goal of the season.
Mamardashvili picked up an injury in the challenge and was forced off for Freddie Woodman, who made his Premier League debut for Liverpool and his first top-flight appearance since September 2021.
A derby victory in dramatic fashion for @LFC 😮 pic.twitter.com/Z4DbRpgUX6
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 19, 2026
The game opened up after that. Gakpo had a header cleared off the line by Tarkowski, then Ndiaye tested Woodman with a fierce drive from a tight angle.
A late injury to Jarrad Branthwaite led to 11 minutes of stoppage time. Liverpool took full advantage when Van Dijk met Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner to head home a dramatic winner.
The win relieves some pressure on manager Arne Slot and gives Liverpool three straight victories over their local rivals for the first time since 2017.
Everton stay just one point behind sixth-placed Chelsea and remain in the European chase, but this stoppage-time loss will sting and leaves them with only one win from their last four games.
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