Liverpool edged Everton 2‑1 in the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson, with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk scoring. Gakpo supplied the opener and Szoboszlai set up the winner, while Curtis Jones impressed from right‑back. Van Dijk’s 100th‑minute header sealed a victory that kept the title race tight.

Despite the win, Everton’s loss keeps them 10 points behind the top five, leaving Chelsea, Brentford, Bournemouth, Brighton and the Reds in the European spot scramble. The result also keeps the sixth‑place vacancy open, with the final month still undecided and fans watching every game closely as clubs battle for continental qualification and the league’s final standings by Sunday.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s 3‑2 win over Sunderland pushes them 10 points clear inside the top five, setting up a historic Champions League finish. With Ollie Watkins’ lone goal in February, the club’s late surge now places them on the brink of a continental berth, while Forest’s 4‑1 victory over Burnley keeps their survival hopes alive as they chase into final stretch.