It is not often that Everton win a Merseyside derby; especially one as important as last night’s.
With the Toffees still far from safe, and Liverpool pushing for the Premier League title, there was a truly interesting dynamic as they made the short trip across Stanley Park.
However, as soon as the game started, it felt like there would only really be one winner despite the Reds’ chances.
After all, everything was going the way of the hosts, whether it be chances missed or refereeing decisions given.
And yet, in the end, it was Dominic Calvert-Lewin who put the final nail in the coffin, leading to a post-match apology from one Sky Sports pundit.
Gary Neville apologises to Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Speaking on the Gary Neville podcast, in which the former Manchester United full-back offered his immediate post-match verdict on last night’s Merseyside derby, he was unsurprisingly complimentary of Everton.
After all, this was their night, ending a 14-year hoodoo against Liverpool at Goodison Park whilst simultaneously boosting their survival hopes and ending their rivals’ title bid.
It was the perfect night, capped off by Calvert-Lewin’s emphatic header from a corner to give them that much-needed breathing room.
To nobody’s shock, he was named Sky Sports’ Man of the Match, but upon collecting the trophy, Neville made a huge error.
He would later apologise on his podcast, noting: ‘I must apologise to Dominic Calvert-Lewin because I called him Daniel Calvert-Lewin at the point where I offered him Man of the Match which to be fair is a blatant error of magnificent proportion.
‘But I feel on a night like tonight I can laugh at it.’
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was flawless for Everton
Calvert-Lewin likely will not care what was said after the match, as he will know just how well he played.
The raw emotion he exhibited upon celebrating that second goal, pounding his chest as he strode towards the corner flag, looked like a much-needed release after a tough season.
Having seen his fitness issues somewhat solved for the bulk of the campaign, the pressure ramped up on him to be the club’s goalscoring saviour at last.
However, with a lack of proper service or support, he endured a hopeless goal drought that stretched from October until earlier this month.
But, since coolly slotting that penalty home against Newcastle United, he has never looked back, with last night’s goal just the latest in a fine string of performances from the 27-year-old.
Against Liverpool, he looked supremely fresh, winning plenty of duels and at the very least disrupting should he be beaten.
Defending him must be a nightmare, and it is expected that Virgil van Dijk and his two centre-back partners will not forget that bruising performance for a long time.
Leon Osman actually suggested it was his best performance in an Everton shirt, alongside some other glowing post-match praise.
A historic night for both player and club.
