Everton record comprehensive victory over Liverpool to take Merseyside bragging rights | OneFootball

Everton have taken the Merseyside bragging rights after recording a 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield this evening.

It was a momentous occasion on Merseyside as Barclays Women’s Super League football returned to Anfield for the first time in almost three years. Liverpool came into the match on the crest of a wave following their unexpected victory over champions Chelsea in the opening fixture of the season last weekend. Meanwhile, Everton were looking to get their season up and running after they suffered an opening day defeat to West Ham United.

There were 23,500 fans in attendance the last time these two faced-off at Anfield with Everton running out victors over their opponents thanks to a single Lucy Graham goal. However, that record crowd was eclipsed this evening as 27,574 packed themselves into Anfield. Still, a big home crowd was not enough to help Liverpool overcome their bitter rivals as they fell to a 3-0 defeat.

Everton took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes when a Megan Finnigan shot from distance could only be turned over by the fingertips of home keeper Rachael Laws. The subsequent corner wasn’t cleared at the first time of asking and defender Finnigan was the first to react as she forced her header beyond Laws.

The hosts then looked to be growing into the match as they pressed higher up the field, however, Everton dealt them a sucker punch just when they were in the ascendency. A long ball over the top from Nathalie Björn picked out on-loan Manchester City forward Jess Park. She displayed tremendous composure to get past Laws and with the goal at her mercy, she doubled her team’s advantage.

Liverpool had struggled to get on top of the Everton press all game and they were eventually punished in the dying moments of the fixture. Megan Campbell tried to dribble out but had the ball snatched from her by the industrious Park. The young forward drove purposefully towards the Liverpool penalty area and as she drew the defenders into her proximity, she squared the ball to substitute Hanna Bennison who rounded-off the scoring.

In truth, despite showing glimpses of quality and peppering the Everton defence with Campbell’s long throws, Liverpool never really troubled the visitors’ goal. They showed some impetus as the game edged towards its conclusion but they were well beaten by their opponents.

Next up for The Reds is an FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup fixture at Sunderland while Everton welcome Leicester City to Walton Hall Park in a rearranged Barclays Women’s Super League fixture.