Everton Under-18s coach Paul Tait said earned their rewards after digging deep to claim all three points in the mini-derby at USM Finch Farm.
Three goals inside the opening 30 minutes helped propel Tait’s side into a commanding lead, and despite Glen McAuley pulling one back for the visitors on the stroke half-time, the young Blues stood firm to not only pick up maximum points, but lift themselves to second in the league table.
Tait’s side couldn’t have dreamt for a better start either as, with four minutes on clock, skipper Elliot Richards rose highest inside the Liverpool box to head home Tom Scully’s corner.
One become two on 25 minutes, with Scully this time the goalscorer. Pouncing on a lose ball, the midfielder let fly with a speculative effort from 25-yards that nestled into the bottom corner of Kamil Grabara’s net.
Liverpool, to their credit, rallied and twice went close to narrowing the deficit. First Nicolas Hansen blocked McAuley’s effort after Curtis Jones had initially saw his effort blocked, before Jones himself fired wide from the edge of the area.
But on 33 minutes, the young Blues swept home a third following a fine counter-attacking move.
Tom Warren collected Grabara’s poor clearance before finding Anthony Gordon, who in return released Manasse Mampala with a fine through ball. Once in possession, the forward coolly composed himself before finishing into the bottom corner of the net.
McAuley went close again for the Reds but he somehow turned Jones’ cross over from eight yards out.
But on the stroke of half-time, the Red number nine would make amends when he tucked away Liam Millar’s cross from the right.
The opening 25 minutes of the second-half saw the visitors throw everything at Tait’s side, with Hansen denying both Jones and Millar before McAuley fired over from six yards out.
But to their credit, the Toffees - marshalled by the excellent defensive duo of Ryan Astley and Richards - weathered the storm and in the closing stages had their own chances to add a fourth.
First, substitute Korede Adedoyin saw his effort blocked by Rhys Williams, before Grabara comfortably collected Mampala’s effort after the forward wriggled free from Morgan Boyes.
But 3-1 it remained, leaving a delighted Tait to hail the efforts of his players.
“It was an absolutely unbelievable performance from 1 to 11,” he told evertonfc.com. “I have to include the substitutes in that as well. I thought we were excellent today.
“We had to dig in deep at times, but we got our rewards. We spoke before the game about derbies being about character and bravery, and every one of the lads showed that in bucketloads today. It was magnificent.
“The goals in the first half were from a fantastic, devastating, counter-attacking performance at times. Then the second was about defending. We knew going to three at the back that we had a plan and I thought we did it magnificently.
“I have to say too, we did it with four lads missing, who all played last night in the Under-23s game, whereas Liverpool have got the England and Norwegian captains playing - both haven’t gone on international duty to play against us.
“All credit to the lads, though. They were absolutely fantastic.”
Next up for Tait’s side is a Premier League Cup semi-final against Chelsea at USM Finch Farm next Saturday.
Everton: Hansen, Moore, Anderson, Astley, Richards, Scully, Mampala (Carroll), Warren, Simms (Adedoyin), Duke-McKenna, Gordon (McKeown).
Substitutes not used: Murphy, Stanley.
Liverpool: Grabara, Williams, Lewis Williams, Boyes, Dixon-Bonner (Larouci), Millar, Tagseth (Brookwell), McAuley, Jones, Camacho (Clarkson).
Substitutes not used: Clayton, Atherton.
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