Match Report: Liverpool 2 - Everton 1

Match Day: Saturday 20th September 2025 (12:30PM)

Liverpool 2 - Everton 1

Liverpool Scorers:

Gravenberch (10')

Ekitike (29')

Everton Scorers:

Idrissesa Gueye (58')

Match Report:

Very unexpected lineup by Slot, there was no Chiesa on the bench (don't know what is going on there), no Isak, Wirtz, Frimpong to start the game, and most were surprised not to see Robertson keep his role as left back to start this game after the way Slot had substituted him in the first half in the previous Premier League game against Burnley.  The midfield setup was the trusted 3 from last season with Mac Alisster, Gravenberch and Szoboszlai, and Bradley at right back.  Up front it was Gakpo, Ekitike and Salah.  Curtis Jones was on the bench back from injury which was a plus.  The opposition lineup did feature Jack Grealish who has been in terrific form since joining Everton on loan from Manchester City.

Liverpool started the game in a lively fashion, taking control with Everton seemingly holding back in  a fairly organized low block as one might expect from a David Moyes team.  Unlike previous games the passing and movement of Liverpool was much sharper, it looked like they knew each other for a change.  Ekitike showed early signs that he was ready for the fight, holding off any Everton players that tried to take the ball of him.  Gravenberch was also being marked more so than previous games, it seems that opposition teams have gotten onto the fact that he is the one to watch in midfield and rightly so.  However, being watched and trying to dispossess Gravenberch is much easier said than done.  In the 9th minute he made a run in the Everton penalty box to the left, Salah played a wonderful cross in - that landed and bounced up enough such that Gravenberch took a volley type shot that headed into the right hand corner of Everton's goal.  It was a sensational move that led up to the goal with Gravenberch starting the move with a pass to Szoboszlai, who passed to Mac Allister and then onto Salah for the cross.  Simple and effective, the Everton goalkeeper was probably not expecting the shot from that angle with the way the ball had bounced from Salah's cross.  Everton then decided to come out of their shell but were not effective as Liverpool had the upper hand in the midfield exchanges that were taking place.  At one point, Salah was able to cut inside in his usual custom way, but his shot just went over the bar.  In the 29th minute, there was that crisp passing from Liverpool again between Szoboszlai and Mac Allister in midfield, with Hugo Ekitike making a darting run into the penalty, noticed by Gravenberch who was able to thread a delicately weighted ball into Ekitike's path who dispatched a shot into the Everton goal.  Again a clean cut move by Liverpool, something the fans have been crying out for and finally witnessing.

The second half saw the ugly side of Liverpool, this time Everton came out with clear instructions which was mainly to get the ball to Grealish, who in the first half was battling to get forward against Bradley.  It seemed that Bradley was relishing the challenge to the point where Grealish had complained to the Referee that he had been fouled at least four times.  Still, Grealish is persistent if anything, he got more forward and the instructions by his team mates to be in position to receive crosses seem to be quite obvious.  On the 58th minute, Grealish managed a sublime cross to beat all the Liverpool defenders as it landed to an Everton player who passed to the unmarked Idrissa Gueye, he then scored with a wonderful strike that beat Alisson - it was game on for Everton.

Liverpool then went into a shell, unable to keep the ball - it was like the game against Newcastle where they could not find each other with miss-placed passes and always seemingly slow to the second balls.  Everton kept repeating the same pattern of letting Grealish have the ball to create something or get fouls based on Bradley' going in hard at him.  They had a few corners from which they were unable to benefit due to mainly the outstanding Konate and Virgil - both having a very good game along with Kerkez whose head had been calm in this game.  To get more control, Slot bought on Curtis Jones, and also Isak.  Although Jone's retention helped, Liverpool were not really creating anything - it would appear that they were happier to defend or accept the score line as it was - a fact underlined by the way Mohammad Salah was trying to keep the ball near the corner flag as normal time came to an end. The crowd were nervous and given that only 3 minutes of extra time was added - it would be fair to say that there would not even be enough time for Liverpool to make a comeback if Everton scored in extra time.  They didn't and Liverpool won the game.  

This game was a good watch for any neutral, but it is strange the way Liverpool allow the opposition to come back into a game once they score and there is enough game time left that they should not think they have won the game.  This current Liverpool team can be described now as the "Just Win" team, there is no extreme effort to dominate the opposition for the full 90 minutes, but it is difficult to tell if that is the approach or if the opposition are just better in those periods where Liverpool concede possession.