Sadio Mane’s late winner sealed victory for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the 227 th Merseyside derby and moves Liverpool up to 2nd in the Premier League
Liverpool have earned a 1-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park thanks to Sadio Mane 's 94th-minute winner.
The Reds managed just a couple of shots on target heading into additional time in the 227th Merseyside derby, before the Senegalese tapped home from close range to send his side up to second in the Premier League six points off leaders Chelsea.
It is a first league win in five for Liverpool at the home of their rivals, while opponents Everton have now gone 13 matches in succession without claiming bragging rights in this fixture.
The home side looked the more assured in a tepid opening 45 minutes, which passed by without a single shot on target, just the second time that has happened all season in the Premier League.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp named an unchanged side for only the third time since taking over last year, but his players were largely focusing on defending for the opening half-hour of the flat contest.
Everton were certainly looking more confident than in the early stages against Arsenal six days ago - a match they would ultimately go on to win but the closest they came to an opener arrived 37 minutes in when Ramiro Funes Mori headed wide unmarked from the game's first corner.
The Toffees were having plenty of joy down both flanks, with Aaron Lennon sending in a cross from the left that Ragnar Klavan did just enough to get to ahead of Romelu Lukaku a player who had scored five in eight against the Reds prior to this one.
Liverpool actually took until the 27 minute mark before having a single touch of the ball in their opponents' box, being restricted to just one wayward Georginio Wijnaldum drive from range prior to that, while Divock Origi smashed off target when picked out by Nathaniel Clyne 10 minutes before the break.
The Premier League's top scoring side did not take long to get going in the second half, however Roberto Firmino getting the better of Funes Mori only to be denied by Maarten Stekelenburg 50 minutes in, before hooking the ball towards Mane who could not connect with it from eight yards out.
Lukaku flicked a header over the bar soon after but it was Liverpool who were looking the more dangerous, although a collision between Leighton Baines and Stekelenburg on the hour led to the latter making way, with a number of minutes being eaten up in the process.
Following the break in play, both sides continued to struggle for momentum but there was to be a flashpoint 70 minutes in following a horror challenge from Ross Barkley on England teammate Jordan Henderson .
Referee Mike Dean showed the Everton midfielder a yellow, leading to a melee which ended with Seamus Coleman joining his clubmate in the referee's book in a derby otherwise devoid of major incident up until the closing moments.
The next attempt on target did not arrive until the final quarter of the game, as Funes Mori again worked some space but this time headed straight into the welcoming arms of Simon Mignolet again preferred to Loris Karius this evening.
Firmino then sent an acrobatic effort over the crossbar, moments before being denied by Joel Robles from a volley the one outstanding piece of play of the game as the back up keeper got across superbly to keep out the shot.
There was time for a winner in the fourth of eight added on minutes, however, after substitute
Daniel Sturridge 's scruffy shot bounced off the post and was tapped in by Mane to keep Liverpool's title charge on track.
Coleman also blocked a Firmino shot on the line in the closing stages but it mattered little, as the Reds picked up a fourth clean sheet in their last six outings to see things through.
Scorer [ Mane 94' ]
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