Out of nowhere the Merseyside derby produced a moment for Liverpool to savour, and one that could fire them on for the rest of the season as they beat Everton 2-1.
Everton 1-2 Liverpool
Premier League (33) | Hill Dickinson Stadium
April 19, 2026
Goals: Salah 29′, Van Dijk 90+10′; Beto 54′
A derby moment to savour
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk puts his hand to his ear as he celebrates after scoring his side's second goal with a header during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
If Liverpool fans could have chosen a series of events pre-match as to how they wanted this game to go, this type of victory would have been a common choice.
When Virgil van Dijk rose above the Everton defence to head home Dominik Szoboszlai‘s corner, it sparked one of those derby moments of extreme contrasting emotions.
For the victors, elation, and the celebrations went on long after the final whistle in the corner of the ground where the Liverpool fans were situated.
It provides a great positive in a fairly negative season – and a moment that could spur the team on to secure Champions League qualification.
Aside from all the derby delight, which will be felt for some time, this was a vital three points and puts Liverpool seven points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea and three wins away from the Champions League.
Can this inspire ineffective big signings?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Liverpool's Alexander Isak reacts to seeing his shot saved during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
At this stage of the season, Liverpool might be expecting more from those players on whom they spent so much money in the summer.
Florian Wirtz has not been bad this season. Indeed, he has even shown flashes of brilliance at times, but here he seemed lost in the derby atmosphere.
Isak was subbed off in the 72nd minute, having had little impact on the game despite getting a significant runout.
Though the disappointing season has not been solely down to these players, it was no surprise that the big moments in this game came from old regulars.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Spending big money doesn’t automatically guarantee a certain level of performance and achievement. Other things need to go with it, and there needs to be a plan to get the best out of these big signings.
Liverpool haven’t had that this season, and the structure around these players has never been good enough for them or their teammates to perform to a high level, on top of some disappointing individual performances scattered throughout.
This kind of experience, witnessing a Merseyside derby win in this manner, will only be good for building for the future.
Gakpo and Salah combine for big moment
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah touches the badge as he celebrates after scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It’s not controversial to say that Liverpool’s wide forwards, on which they have relied so heavily in recent years for goals, have not been at their best this season.
Everything is connected, but the inability to get them involved in the right areas of the pitch and their lack of quality on the occasions they are in those areas has contributed to Liverpool’s overall struggles this season.
Cody Gakpo has found himself stuck between knowing if he is a winger or an inside forward, and Mohamed Salah’s output has dropped dramatically.
The decline is due to tactical issues as well as individual performances, but both can still be dangerous in moments, and each produced one after the other for the goal.
Gakpo played a brilliant pass through the defence from his position on the left, and Salah scored with a run and finish to remind us of his quality.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates after his side scores the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It was a reminder that these are not bad players. Gakpo’s overall game has declined making it easy to forget how much better he was a couple of seasons back, and Salah’s record last year speaks for itself.
The two combined at an important moment when Everton were gaining momentum, and looked like they, rather than Liverpool, might record a memorable derby victory.
In the end, this moment gave the Reds the platform they needed to produce an even better moment in the dying seconds of the game.
Another goalkeeper problem!
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Liverpool's goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is stretchered off during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Losing Alisson for much of the run-in was already a blow, but the club have become used to the Brazilian being absent for extended periods and have always had a solid No. 2 as a result.
Giorgi Mamardashvili has come in and done a good job. He’s not as good as Alisson, but who is?
He made an excellent save from a Beto header at the start of the derby and is a big presence in goal for Liverpool.
A collision with Beto in the second half, as the striker scored Everton’s equaliser, saw the big Georgian stretchered off. It was a full studs-to-knee impact, which could keep him out for a while.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Liverpool substitute goalkeeper Freddie Woodman receives final instructions before coming on for his debut in the league during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
There’s now the possibility that Liverpool will have to rely on their third-choice keeper, seemingly Freddie Woodman, rather than Armin Pecsi, for a high-profile run of games.
Potentially another element of disruption, worry and uncertainty, but again, one where those involved might benefit from being on the field for a win such as this.
A new stadium and a new derby dynamic
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Everton's tifo "The Originals" before the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
A total of 52,585 fans were in attendance for this first Merseyside derby at Bramley-Moore Dock.
The stadium erupted throughout, with flashpoints like Szoboszlai’s coming-together with Iliman Ndiaye ramping up the atmosphere.
Bramley-Moore retains some of the tightly packed feel that Goodison Park had, but with the capacity for more fans.
When it’s loud, it can be very loud, and was so at times during this derby, as expected, surpassing the atmosphere at previous games held at the stadium.
The best way for Liverpool to counter that in this, and any future games here, is to score early – and they did so with around half an hour gone.
In the end, the main memory from this significant first derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium belongs to Liverpool fans.