Liverpool completed a league double over Everton in the 228th Merseyside derby.

Sadio Mane struck an early opener against a much-changed Blues side before Matthew Pennington pulled the visitors level from a corner in the 28th minute.

That equilibrium lasted less than three minutes as Philippe Coutinho got the better of Pennington to unleash a curling shot into Joel Robles’ left-hand corner.

Substitute Divock Origi would put the game beyond reach shortly before the hour mark when he pounced on Mason Holgate poorly conceding possession.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

Coutinho sky-high again for Reds

 

Don’t expect Philippe Coutinho to be brought back down to earth in a hurry.

The Brazilian playmaker had soared above the clouds in a private jet on his way back to Merseyside and still appeared sky-high in this derby encounter.

Anfield was offered a renewed glimpse of the Coutinho that it has known and loved; pacy, skilfully menacing and, crucially, among the goals again.

Ross Barkley was shown a clean pair of heels in the second half while Divock Origi was a key beneficiary from a visionary through ball to wrap up the win.

But it was the sumptuous curling strike after Everton had levelled which stole the show. He has done it countless times before but the impact is no less majestic.

Coutinho’s return to form is as welcomed as it has been long-awaited, even if it will invariably enhance Barcelona’s season-long courtship of ‘O Magico’.

Koeman misjudged derby mood

 

Had he spent less time engaged in a tit for tat with Martin O’Neill, Ronald Koeman may have done things somewhat a little differently.

Fans had warmed to the Dutchman because he was everything that his predecessor Roberto Martinez, and David Moyes before him, was not.

Strong ambition and realism have largely gone hand in hand during his debut season at the Goodison Park helm – until this bruising Anfield defeat, that is.

Thrusting callow youth into the spotlight was always going to end badly, particularly in the case of Matthew Pennington’s maiden outing of the campaign.

The defender may have pulled the Blues level with a gilt-edged offering in front of the Kop but his primary stock in trade left significantly more to be desired.

Continually backing off when Liverpool’s pace-laden attack was on the warpath proved to be manna from heaven for goal scorers Sadio Mane and Coutinho.

Unrepentant, Koeman spent his post-match duties taking aim at the hosts’ coaching staff and engaging in Martinez-esque praise of his underwhelming side.

In the aftermath of Everton’s worst Anfield showing since, well, last season, he should have known better than to repeat the acts of those that went before him.

Lucas offers compelling case to stay

 

Turbo-punching the air in delight and planting kisses on his players’ cheeks, Jurgen Klopp was potentially guilty of indulging in some post-match histrionics.

Bear hugging Lucas Leiva, however, was possibly an exception to that rule. The Brazilian was Liverpool’s man-of-the-match as he stifled Everton at every turn.

The writing has been on the wall for the midfielder’s Anfield future, with the likes of Adam Lallana, Georginio Wijnaldum and Emre Can comfortably ahead of him.

But the chants of ‘Lucas Leiva, yeah’ rang out late in the second half made clear the influence that Lucas had held over proceedings in place of the injured Lallana.

His Anfield fate is likely to be dragged out until this summer but the Kop are in no doubt as to what decision the Liverpool manager should be making.

No end in sight for Blues’ derby hoodoo

 

A sense of resignation accompanies Everton’s trips to Anfield in modern times.

Although personnel may change in derbies, on both sides, the ugly picture remains the same for the blue half of Merseyside.

Another high-flying side being downed across Stanley Park should come as little surprise, but Koeman promised that this time would be different.

He had insisted that the Blues had nothing to fear against their local rivals. Their fans and Liverpool could have been fooled into thinking otherwise.

The search for a first derby win at Anfield since 1999 continues and, on this evidence, is unlikely to end anytime soon for long-suffering Evertonians.