The flagship triumph of Arne Slot’s reign that made the difference for Liverpool on derby day | OneFootball

Never in the history of English football had a team begun with a more expensive double act on the bench. But perhaps Arne Slot, while his irritation at some of the references to Liverpool’s summer spending has been camouflaged by a smile, illustrated his early success came without buying.

As Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz’s initial taste of the Merseyside derby was as substitutes, Liverpool owed victory to Ryan Gravenberch, the first flagship triumph of Slot’s reign, a player who was not purchased for a nine-figure sum by his compatriot but inherited and reinvented.

Gravenberch was the beneficiary when Liverpool didn’t buy, the man who filled the role envisaged for Martin Zubimendi. If Isak was bought to score goals and Wirtz to create them, Everton were defeated as Gravenberch, for the first time in his Liverpool career, did both in the same game, each long before the £225m duo were introduced. In the process, he maintained Liverpool’s 100 per cent start to the campaign and earned them a first win that did not require a late goal.

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Liverpool owed their derby win to Ryan Gravenberch (left) (PA Wire)

It underlined the depth of Liverpool’s squad after their costly makeover. Slot could seem reluctant to rotate last season, but if Isak’s bit-part role was expected, with the £125m man not fully fit yet, Wirtz was the more eye-catching omission. Slot seemed to deem the Merseyside derby too much of a culture shock for a host of new signings. “I made my line-ups in the week for the players to be ready for this one, it was the most intense one,” he said, revealing he prioritised Everton over Atletico Madrid in his planning.

Isak had begun against Atletico. Three days later, Hugo Ekitike took his place and scored. The Frenchman is only Slot’s third biggest buy and, of the three £100m men on Merseyside, the only starter was Jack Grealish, whose transfer fee was not paid by Everton.

Slot’s decision to hold Isak back was justified as his replacement scored. At £79m, Ekitike may be a deluxe deputy. He had looked a terrific signing while Isak lingered in limbo at Newcastle. His name rang around Anfield. It remains to be seen how he and Isak coexist, but Slot said: “Every other team in this league has two No 9s, we have two of excellent quality, like our competitors have as well.”

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Hugo Ekitike justified Arne Slot’s decision to start him with a goal (AP)

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Alexander Isak watched on from the bench as Ekitike netted Liverpool’s second (Getty Images)

Gravenberch’s position in the side is more assured. Indeed, when Slot was planning to take his compatriot off, Everton scored and he was too important defensively to be substituted. By then, he had made his mark in attack as well. Outstanding against Atletico Madrid, he carried on in the same vein, his class evident when both passing and shooting.

The alliance of Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah produced a goal against Atletico on Wednesday. It did again, but with a role reversal and the Dutchman as scorer. It stemmed from each taking the aerial route with some delicacy, Salah’s dinked pass, Gravenberch’s lobbed finish after a well-timed run from deep. Without Wirtz as a specialist No 10, it allowed Gravenberch to assume some of the attacking-midfield duties. “There is more freedom in the midfield,” he said. “Last season I was like only on the No 6, deep, deep, and now I can go more forward, which you could see in this game.” Slot explained. “This is the evolution of the team. He has moments [when] he can help the attack.”

Another helped double Liverpool’s lead. Ekitike ran on to Gravenberch’s pass and guided a shot past Pickford. After a three-game drought, it was a calm finish.

It was the fourth time Liverpool had gone 2-0 up this season. They have not kept a clean sheet in any of those games. This time, at least, they did not lose the lead completely. “We needed mentality today in a different fashion than before,” Slot reflected.

But from an Everton perspective, David Moyes lamented: “We just gave ourselves a task too far.” He rued the first half. “I am disappointed at the start,” said Moyes. “It wasn’t the plan. This is Liverpool’s third game in six days and we had an opportunity.”

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Everton were left to rue the first half-hour (Getty Images)

They rallied thereafter. Their first goal in their last five trips to Anfield was rifled in by Idrissa Gueye, who was teed up by Iliman Ndiaye and became Everton’s oldest scorer in a derby since 1926. The visitors had pressure from then on, if not too many clear-cut chances. “It was a bit more like Everton in the second half,” added Moyes.

But he suffered a 10th consecutive defeat at Anfield. Now, no one has managed there more often without winning at least once. Others are in their personal wait. Liverpool’s two biggest buys both came on. Neither has found the net yet for their new club. Perhaps those goals will come against Southampton on Tuesday. When, Slot said, Gravenberch is likely to be rested. Isak and Wirtz could be benched for a Merseyside derby, but not him. He is too indispensable.