Credit: Imago

Richie Mills

Mon 20 April 2026 8:10, UK

Virgil van Dijk’s last-gasp winner in a 2-1 victory for Liverpool inflicted a couple of unwanted records on Everton on Sunday afternoon.

Iliman Ndiaye looked to have given Everton a deserved lead inside the opening half hour, only for Jake O’Brien to be offside in the build-up.

Two minutes later, Mohamed Salah scored in his final Merseyside derby, as the Egyptian equalled Steven Gerrard’s tally of nine goals in this Premier League fixture.

Beto levelled nine minutes after the break before Van Dijk got on the end of Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner in the 100th minute.

Everton’s chances of securing European football next season received a blow as the first derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium went Liverpool’s way.

Deja vu for Everton against Liverpool

Despite winning just one of their last 14 Premier League home games against Liverpool before this clash on Sunday, Everton fans were optimistic about claiming all three points.

However, the Toffees have now won just five of their last 53 league games in Merseyside derbies since 2000, following this gut-wrenching defeat.

According to EFC Statto, Van Dijk’s goal was the first time Everton had conceded a winning goal from a set piece in added time in the Premier League since December 2018.

Unfortunately for Everton fans, that was also against Liverpool. Beto became the first Toffees player to score a goal in this derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium, but in the end, it mattered little.

Liverpool set a record of their own as they have now scored six added-time winners against Everton in the Premier League – the most one side has achieved against a single opponent in the division’s history.

The result saw Everton drop to 10th in the Premier League as their hopes of securing European football for the first time since 2018 received a blow.

Everton get reality check

Ahead of the Liverpool game, Everton fans were even beginning to dream of qualifying for the Champions League as the gap between them in eighth and the Reds in fifth was just five points.

That gap is now up to eight, while Brighton and Bournemouth have leapfrogged them in the table, despite the heroics of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Luckily for Everton, just one point separates Chelsea in sixth and them in 10th, with Sunderland and Fulham just a point and two points back from the Toffees in 11th and 12th, respectively.

With five games to go, the race for Europe is intensifying. It remains to be seen who will hold their nerve in the final weeks of the season.

Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Goodison Park.