Andy Hunter was at Anfield and his report is here. Thanks for reading this MBM. Jurgen Klopp talks to TNT. “It was well deserved … it was a difficult game … a lot of emotions involved … red cards, maybe a second yellow for us … penalty, it’s an example of how a penalty looks … in the first half, we had three big opportunities which didn’t even end up with a shot on target which is not cool … that didn’t happen and it’s not helpful … the red card for Everton obviously changed the game but we didn’t use it immediately to our advantage … we kept them away from our goal, which was important because the more set pieces they have the more likely they will score … yes, we were lucky, I haven’t seen it back yet but probably we were lucky with [Konate] that he didn’t get the second yellow … and finally we used one counter attack even if it was late … I understand [Everton’s frustration] but when we were on the other side we had to accept it … it’s really hard to do it in the first moment, but you get over it with time, I can tell you.” A clearly frustrated Sean Dyche speaks to TNT. “It’s the bizarre nature of the modern game … how they at 0-0 have 11 on the pitch, I don’t think anyone in the stadium knows why … their manager certainly didn’t because he took the player off straight away … it changed the game but that’s the way it goes … the second [Ashley Young] yellow card has to be yellow, but the first one? … I don’t want to get in trouble … I don’t know how I got yellow carded, our staff all got yellow carded … it’s impossible we could get yellow carded today with that performance but we did … their manager is a fine judge, quite obviously he’s looked at [Konte] and thought I’d better get him off, that was proof in itself … beyond that, I’ve got a group of players who gave everything … we did very well to quell the game and calm it down … everything was going fine, a loose arm, we know what happens nowadays, a tough one, the ball’s at close quarters … the last-minute goal we were chasing the game … massive decisions from the officials and it’s a head-scratcher … I’d be amazed if they didn’t think they’ve got away with one.” Virgil van Dijk speaks to TNT. “There has been a transition in the way we play … we have different players with different qualities … we have to adapt and I think it is working quite well … everyone is playing on quite a high level … that is the key to success this season … everyone last year was drained if I’m absolutely honest … it was such a disappointing season … we won against United big but lost at Bournemouth in the next game, it was so frustrating … you sense a different vibe and energy at the club … the guys who have come in have been outstanding … Szoboszlai is a different breed, he keeps running … it is something to be excited about as a Liverpool fan … but we have to find consistency … top of the table doesn’t mean anything at this point, we will probably not be in a couple of hours … it is game by game.” A strange game, that. Liverpool were the best side on the balance of play. Ashley Young was deservedly sent off for two yellow cards, while Michael Keane’s handball led to a fairly awarded penalty … and yet Everton will have legitimate complaints at the nature of their eventual defeat. Ibrahima Konate should have picked up a second yellow of his own during the second half; had he been sent packing, the outcome could have been very different. Sean Dyche will no doubt be fuming, but when the dust settles he’ll be happy with the way his team held firm for so long. A few home fans serenaded the away end with a chorus of “going down” … but that’s not going to happen to an Everton side looking increasingly resilient. Liverpool meanwhile will be happy to get one of those pesky 12.30pm post-international fixtures out of the way, grabbing all three points despite playing nowhere near their best. FULL TIME: Liverpool 2-0 Everton Liverpool go top … for a couple of hours at least. 90 min +9: Beto hoicks a speculative shot deep into the Anfield Road end. Anfield suddenly en fête. GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Everton (Salah 90+7) Liverpool have countered so often today, with little by way of end result. But now look. Mac Allister nicks the ball off Chermiti on the right-hand corner of the D. He pokes clear for Nunez, who barrels down the middle. Liverpool are two on one, with Salah to his right. Nunez rolls a perfect pass to Salah, who opens his body and lashes into the top right. Pickford did his best, but had no chance. 90 min +6: Szoboszlai dances his way out of a tight spot on the left. He should feed Jota on the overlap, but opts to have a dig himself, having carved the opportunity out of nothing. He curls harmlessly high and wide right. 90 min +4: Liverpool counter from Everton’s corner. Nunez and Salah execute a long-range one-two … only for Doucoure to stop Salah’s gallop as the Liverpool striker reaches the edge of the box. He’s put in an excellent shift today. A man-of-the-match performance, despite being on the losing side? Onana would have a shout too. 90 min +3: Danjuma causes some bother down the middle, forcing Van Dijk to concede a corner. Big chance for Everton to cause some trouble here. Garner to take. 90 min +2: Jota jinks his way down the inside-left channel and enters the box. He’s got Nunez and Salah to his right, but opts to go for it himself instead. He lashes into the side netting. 90 min +1: That’ll give Everton renewed spring in their step. The nerves all around Anfield are palpable, from both sets of fans. 90 min: He’d have had to give it up had this gone in. Elliott sends a vicious dipping shot towards the top right. Pickford extends fully to tip over sensationally. Nothing comes of the corner. There will be nine added minutes. 89 min: Some head tennis in midfield. In the technical area, Sean Dyche claps hard to encourage his men. He’ll not have given this up yet. 88 min: Nothing comes from the corner. Everton swap Mykolenko for Chermiti. 87 min: … so having said that, Nunez goes on a barnstorming run down the left, tearing past Patterson and whipping a cross to the near stick. Branthwaite knows there’s red shirts behind him, and has to intervene. He heads wide left, though his heart would have skipped a beat for a split second there. 85 min: Nunez chases after a couple of cute passes down the inside-right channel, and fails to control either. He was sensational against Brazil the other night. Not so much today. 84 min: Mac Allister drops deep on the left and sends a long diagonal towards Salah on the penalty spot. Pickford reads the danger wonderfully, coming off his line to claim confidently. 83 min: Liverpool ping it around in the clock-management style. 81 min: … while Gomez replaces Diaz. Alexander-Arnold then curls the free kick into the mixer. With Matip preparing to head home, Branthwaite eyebrows out for a corner on the left. Szoboszlai whistles the corner to Jota, who zips a header straight into the arms of Pickford. Just like Calvert-Lewin in the very first minute, had that gone either side of the keeper, it was a certain goal. The small margins, huh. 80 min: Mykolenko grabs a handful of Salah’s jersey. Free kick out on the right. Before it can be taken, Onana is replaced by Danjuma … 78 min: Nunez attempts to combine with Salah down the right but Mykolenko holds his position. Goal kick. Nunez hasn’t really contributed since coming on. But then we were saying this for a while when Liverpool visited Newcastle, too, and look what happened there. 76 min: Everton had defended so well, too. Everton coach Ian Woan is booked for saying his piece, no doubt regarding the Konate non-decision. “That first non-penalty seemed like a make-up call for not sending Konate off,” argues Joe Pearson. “But they couldn’t ignore the second. Yes, I do have a tin foil hat on. Why do you ask?” GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Everton (Salah 75 pen) Nope! Salah absolutely lashes the penalty into the right-hand side of the net. Pickford goes the wrong way, but even if he guessed correctly, he was never stopping that. Liverpool lead! Penalty for Liverpool! 74 min: Craig Pawson trots over to the screen and makes the inevitable decision. Can Salah break the deadlock from 12 yards? Pickford has some detailed penalty notes on his water bottle. Will the data serve him well! 72 min: Diaz accelerates down the left, reaches the byline and crosses. The ball hits Keane’s arm, which is hanging away from his body. The referee says it’s just a corner. VAR will take a look … and sends the referee over to the monitor. Keane’s arm was hanging out far enough for this to be given, I think. We’ll see … 70 min: Diaz turns on the jets and nearly gets past Patterson. He goes over, and wants a penalty, but neither referee nor VAR shows interest. Diaz only hit Patterson while turning back into the Everton defender, so that seems about fair. No doubt there will be other opinions on the old internet. 69 min: Liverpool are probing, but Everton continue to stand firm. It’s attack versus defence, and yet Pickford still hasn’t been put to serious work this afternoon. 67 min: Nothing comes of the Liverpool corner. “I think Everton have a case for the referee not applying cards fairly,” writes Rick Harris. “As a neutral I’d say the ref has ruined the game.” 66 min: Nunez and Jota combine to win a corner down the left. Before it can be taken, Konate is replaced by Matip, which is as good an admission from Jurgen Klopp that his man has got away with one. Dyche is booked for making that exact point. 64 min: Konate puts his arm around Beto in the midfield. Beto goes down, and Everton demand a second yellow. Sean Dyche certainly wants it, and he jumps up and down with his arms waving in the manic style. But the referee doesn’t think there’s enough in it. Konate is a very lucky chap. 63 min: Diaz cuts infield past Patterson and flays an ambitious shot from distance high and wide right. No need for Liverpool to get this desperate yet.