The wait for a first Merseyside derby win at Anfield this century goes on. Liverpool, without really needing to be at their absolute best, deflated Everton's top four hopes by winning a fixture they haven't lost since 1999.
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With the pressure coming from Everton as well for a Champions League spot, Liverpool needed to stop the Toffees' charge at Anfield, and Jurgen Klopp's side did just that thanks to Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho and Divock Origi.
As a result of the 3-1 win, Liverpool extended their lead to Everton to nine points, while they now have a six and nine point gap over Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, albeit having played three games more. They also climbed to third spot, above Manchester City, who play the Gunners on Sunday.
The first half, despite having three goals, wasn't the easiest on the eye. Neither team really found their attacking verve, and while Liverpool were the better team, it isn't like they were dominating from minute one to minute 45.
Everton, with that back five, looked like they had come out to stop Liverpool from playing, rather than playing the attacking football that had won them so many games in 2017, and that was a pity, because there was an opportunity for the game to be a spectacle had both sides just gone for it from the off.
It is understandable, though, why Everton went for the stifling approach, considering they were thumped 4-0 here last season, and if not for a couple of moments of individual brilliance, they might well have gone into halftime in the lead.
That first moment came in the eighth minute, when Sadio Mane, the match-winner from the reverse fixture earlier this season, when he scored a 94th minute goal, showed why he is one of the signings of the season.
After playing a one-two with Roberto Firmino well outside the Everton box, Mane strode forward and somehow found the right strike and angle with his left foot to place the ball through Ashley Williams' legs and into the bottom corner.
The second moment of brilliance came right on 31 minutes.
When Philippe Coutinho gets the ball in and around the box, you know exactly what he is trying to do, so it is difficult to understand why the defenders always show him the route to cut onto his right foot. After brushing aside a challenge from Idrissa Gueye, Coutinho weaved his way in, cut in to his right foot and planted the ball into the top corner, with Joel Robles able to do absolutely nothing.
That Liverpool goal came two minutes and 56 seconds after Everton had found an equaliser through the most unlikely of sources. Liverpool's vulnerability defending setpieces is well known, and Everton took advantage of that.
A corner was swung in, Phil Jagielka flicked a header on at the near post, the ball fell, initially, to Ashley Williams inside the six yard box, but the defender was denied by Dejan Lovren. However, the ball came kindly to Matthew Pennington, making his first start of the season, and the centre-back smashed the ball home from close-range.
Everton's joy was shortlived, though, as Coutinho found his moment of magic and they were also lucky to have all 11 men on the pitch, with Ross Barkley getting away with a couple of rash challenges.
Ten minutes into the second half, Liverpool suffered a blow when Mane was forced off injured, but that enforced change worked in the home side's favour as Divock Origi came on to score the dagger goal.
Coutinho was the magic man again, dribbling his way down the left, before playing a nice square ball for Origi just outside the area. With all the time in the world to take his shot, Origi made no mistake with the finish, thumping the ball home to Robles' right.
With no choice but to go at full attacking throttle, Everton put the pressure on Liverpool's defence for the first time really in this Merseyside derby, but the goals never came as the Reds enjoyed another memorable day at Anfield in this fixture.
Result:
Liverpool 3-1 Everton.
Scorers: Liverpool: Sadio Mane 8, Philippe Coutinho 31, Divock Origi 60. Everton: Matthew Pennington 28.
