Liverpool claim victory over 10-man Everton in controversial Merseyside derby

Liverpool won the Merseyside derby 2-0 thanks to a brace from Mohamed Salah in a game where Everton were forced to play with 10 men for an hour after Ashley Young's sending off.

Young was red carded following two debatable first half bookings, while referee Craig Pawson further enraged the visitors with his failure to send off Ibrahima Konate in similar circumstances in the second half. Already on a yellow card, Konate tripped substitute Beto as he looked to race clear on halfway. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp responded to Konate's reprieve by immediately subbing the French defender.

Liverpool eventually broke Everton's stubborn resistance with a Salah penalty awarded for a handball by Michael Keane, and a second Salah goal followed in the dying moments as the visitors over-committed in search of an equaliser.

Everton manager Sean Dyche labelled the officiating "bizarre" and the decision not to send off Konate as an "impossibility of football".

"I asked the referee and he said he didn't think it was a bookable offence. Jurgen couldn't wait to get him off," said Dyche. "That decision was incredible to me, and I got a yellow card. It was ridiculous."

Young’s 37th-minute red card – the 29th in this fixture and the 13th of the last 16 to be shown to Everton players – came with Liverpool on top, but was contentious.

Luis Diaz looked to have somewhat bought the first yellow when he went down after a tackle on the halfway line and the second was harsh as Young mistimed a tackle with Diaz on the attack near the Everton box.

8 - Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in eight goals in 10 Premier League appearances against Everton for Liverpool (seven goals, one assist). Indeed, only Steven Gerrard (9) has scored more goals for the