Everton's wait for a win at Anfield continues: On-fire Coutinho inspires Klopp's men to victory in VERY fiery Merseyside derby

Every step now feels like a giant leap for Jurgen Klopp. It is that stage of the season. Time is closing in, fixtures are running out and three points feels like a huge bound towards your target.
And a Merseyside derby against a resurgent Everton looked, superficially, a fixture to encourage Manchester United and Arsenal, even if it was 1999 when Everton last won here.

But, as is their wont when Anfield is abuzz and the games are at their most intense, Liverpool reverted to their better selves and looked quite the Champions League qualifiers. Against an injury-ravaged and inexperienced Everton, they were overwhelmingly in control. Losing Seamus Coleman and Morgan Schneiderlin was just too much for Ronald Koeman's side. Their youth was hopelessly exposed at time.
Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane provided the quality but there were entertaining cameos elsewhere.Matthew Pennington, sent out for his first competitive start of the season, on the right side of a back three, was run ragged at times and yet kept Everton in the contest with his first goal at this level in front of The Kop. It will surely be hard for him to forget the intensity of the experience.
Offering more of a minimalist contribution was Romelu Lukaku, who says he won't sign a new deal at Everton. He will doubtless blame the service. And he might complain that games like this, with team-mates as raw as he was asked to play with, is the reason why he will leave. He looked to have one foot out of the door on Saturday.

And then there was Ross Barkley. Following the awful tackle on Jordan Henderson earlier in the season in this fixture, the fact that Barkley was over-hyped at Anfield was utterly predictable. 

He was extremely fortunate to have seen out the first half. His seventh minute challenge on Emre Can was poor and merited a booking, rather than the talking to it induced from referee Anthony Taylor.

When the caution eventually came on 39 minutes, for an appalling studs-up challenge on Dejan Lovren's ankle after Barkley had over-run the ball, it might have been judged a red card. Jurgen Klopp was forgivably aghast on the touchline, even more animated than usual, arms whirling, head jutting, fingers pointing. 

Inbetween those markers, a much-more competitive contest than anticipated took place. In short, Liverpool dominated a raw, naive Everton side. And yet, they couldn't quite pull away as their experience and class suggested they ought to until midway through the second half..

Mane was the initial instigator of Everton disintegration. Idrissa Gueye missed his challenge as Mane spun away. As he charged on goal, with space in which to run, he managed to bamboozle both Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams before finally edging past Pennington to pull the back across goal and into the far corner of the net.

When Philippe Coutinho shimmied past Pennington on 26 minutes, you feared for the Warrington youngster. Luckily his goalkeeper came to his rescue, Joel Robles producing an excellent save. 

And then Pennington was centre stage again, but this time at the Kop End. Everton had produced almost nothing of note. 

Yet a Leighton Baines corner was flicked on by Phil Jagielka and touched on by Williams before falling at the feet of Penington, who, with some relish, thumped home his first goal from close range.

However, the more natural order was restored three minutes later. Coutinho received the ball in so much space, completely unchallenged by Everton's midfield, was allowed to run at goal, shake off Gueye's challenge and cut insider that man Pennington before curling home an exceptional strike. 

There were only brief moments of resistance from Everton. On 48 minutes Barkley floated in a free kick with which Mason Holgate connected but Simon Mignolet collected calmly. 

On the hour, Liverpool extended their lead. Everton, in possession on the right, were pressed into submission, allowing Coutinho quite wonderfully to feed Divock Origi, on for the injured Mane. The Belgian cut across Williams before striking decisively to make it 3-1.

And yet, despite being overwhelmed at times, there were still opportunities for Everton, none greater than when Baines' cross on 70 minutes found an unmarked Holgate. Six yards from goal, he headed over. At the end Klopp marched centre field to acknowledge a thoroughly satisfied Anfield. He was marking his territory and elite European football looks to be in his grasp once more.