Premier League | Liverpool beats Everton to restore 12-point lead

Diogo Jota's goal secures Liverpool's win in Merseyside derby, keeping Premier League title hopes alive against Everton.

Diogo Jota scored the goal that settled the Merseyside derby on Wednesday and kept Liverpool's Premier League title challenge on track.

The Portugal international's second-half strike sealed a 1-0 win at Anfield and restored Liverpool's 12-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the standings.

With just eight games remaining this season, this was one of the biggest hurdles standing in the way of a record-equalling 20th English title for Liverpool. And it was Jota who came up with the decisive moment in the 57th minute when he twisted his way through the box and lashed a shot past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

“We are chasing down the best possible season we can have and Everton showed today again how difficult it is to win a football game in the Premier League,” manager Arne Slot said. “We know that we're going to face eight very tough challenges, but as long as the players give as much as they did today and if (when) we play home games, the fans give us as much as they did today, we are in a very good position.”

The race for the Champions League remains tight after Manchester City, Newcastle and Aston Villa all won.

Liverpool's win could turn out to be a decisive moment in its charge toward the title after an outstanding campaign began to wobble in recent weeks.

Champions League elimination at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain was quickly followed by defeat to Newcastle in the English League Cup final.