Liverpool kaatoi Evertonin Anfieldilla sähköisessä Merseysiden derbyssä Gravenberchin ja Ekitiken johdolla
There are football matches, and then there’s the Merseyside derby. It isn’t just two clubs on opposite sides of Stanley Park — it’s history, tension, and family ties pulled taut for ninety minutes. At Anfield, that history came roaring back on a crisp autumn afternoon, with the stadium rattling like a beating heart before a ball had even been kicked.
A Statement Start: Gravenberch Strikes
Liverpool wasted little time in stamping authority on the contest. Barely ten minutes in, Ryan Gravenberch, cool and measured, glided through Everton’s midfield line and slotted home with surgical accuracy. Mohamed Salah, seeing angles few others would dare attempt, threaded the pass that opened the door. Anfield rose together, roaring in one voice — an early reminder of Liverpool’s depth and danger.
The New Kid on the Block: Ekitike Arrives
About half an hour later came the moment that might echo into derby folklore. New signing Hugo Ekitike, not weighed down but rather invigorated by expectation, slipped behind Everton’s defense. Face to face with Jordan Pickford, he kept his nerve and swept the ball through the keeper’s legs. Anfield erupted; the Kop already imagining how many more such moments the young forward might deliver. Ekitike had announced himself — and in a derby, no less.
Everton Fights Back: Gueye’s Thunderbolt
If the first act belonged to Liverpool, Everton refused to play the part of silent witness. They came out snarling for the second half, their intensity snapping the tempo of play. Then Idrissa Gana Gueye struck. A midfielder known more for spoiling attacks than spearheading them, he unleashed a shot from distance that soared and dipped past Alisson. The strike left even rival fans momentarily hushed. Suddenly, from seemingly nowhere, the game was alive again at 2–1.
Liverpool’s Steadfast Response
Everton pressed, their fans roaring with renewed belief. Yet Liverpool held. Salah kept darting, Darwin Núñez refused to yield an inch, and Ibrahima Konaté marshaled the defense with strength and assurance. For all Everton’s energy, each wave was eventually repelled. By the final whistle, Liverpool had bent but not broken — and the stadium exhaled in unison as the victory was secured.
Beyond the Scoreline
This wasn’t merely about derby bragging rights. The win maintained Liverpool’s cushion at the top of the Premier League table, hinting that another genuine title run may be in motion. For Everton, the defeat cut deep, as it always does against their greatest rivals. Yet even in loss, the spirit of defiance — Gueye’s thunderbolt, their second-half fight — ensured they remained part of the story’s heartbeat.
Rivalry That Outlives Eras
The Merseyside derby has been played since the late 19th century, producing heroes and heartaches across generations. On this autumn day, new names were etched into its mythology: Gravenberch’s composure, Ekitike’s fearless debut strike, Gueye’s unstoppable goal. Add them to a tapestry already threaded with the likes of Gerrard, Dalglish, Rush, Rooney, and Cahill, and the rivalry continues to evolve without ever losing its soul.
Because in the end, the derby is never just about points. It’s about pride, passion, and identity. It’s about a city divided in color but united in football. And on this particular afternoon, it was Liverpool whose voice rang loudest, carrying on an anthem that refuses to fade.