Diogo Jota magic edges Liverpool closer to title after James Tarkowski and VAR howler

In Grand National week on Merseyside, Diogo Jota made sure there will be no Devon Loch-style collapse in the title race. After their disappointments in the Champions League and Carabao Cup final, there were very faint suggestions that Arne Slot’s side might falter dramatically in the Premier League run-in, but crossing the winning line is now a formality.

Just as it is a formality that this Everton manager does not win at Anfield, Jota’s moment of brilliance in a mediocre game making it 22 matches without a victory at the home of the champions-elect for David Moyes. Liverpool were far from their best but it is now just a question of keeping their concentration and getting the job done as efficiently as possible so that they can start the party.

And on this night, not only were they celebrating another derby win at Anfield, they were celebrating the fact that one of their players escaped serious injury. Strangely enough, the first 10 minutes or so had, by derby standards, been distinctly amicable but then a ricochet found its way into a small patch of land midway between James Tarkowski and Alexis Mac Allister.

Old-fashioned types would refer to it as a hospital ball and let’s just say Tarkowski is, er, an old-fashioned type. And let’s just be thankful Mac Allister did not end up in hospital after Tarkowski cleaned out the ball then the man with a thunderously violent tackle.

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Referee Sam Barrott brandished yellow but an upgrade from VAR Paul Tierney seemed inevitable and Everton and Tarkowski were very fortunate it didn’t arrive. Quite what Tierney was thinking is anyone’s guess. All you need to know is that Duncan Ferguson had it down as a nailed-on red. Enough said.

Tarkowski now has a joint-record 63 bookings in the Premier League without being sent off and this was the most emphatic of the 63. Without wanting to trivialise the issue, at least it provided a contentious talking point in a first half that was largely disjointed and only featured one clear goal scoring chance.

That chance was self-engineered but wasted by Beto, who had been given an easy target by Caoimhin Kelleher but found the inside of the post with his right-footed effort. In his exasperated reaction, Moyes wore the look of a manager who has not had too many things go right for him over 22 matches at Anfield.

He cannot, though, have been unhappy with his team’s performance in the opening period, especially as they finished it with a full complement despite Tarkowski’s best effort. But Moyes must have anticipated a second half response from Liverpool and it duly arrived.

There had been a couple of edgy moments for Jordan Pickford before Jota’s quick feet sat the Everton defence down before the Portuguese attacker finished with calm authority. It looked as though Luis Diaz had been offside and active in the build-up but VAR favoured Liverpool on this occasion.

Perhaps there was some justice that Tarkowski was the defender Jota - who had gone ten games without a goal - skipped past before clipping past Pickford. It was a rare moment of composure and faultless technique in a Liverpool display that suggested they are feeling the effects of their considerable efforts in the first three-quarters of the season.

But those efforts have been good enough to guarantee a Premier League title - and Jota’s magic confirmed it will come sooner rather than later.

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