David Moyes has urged his Everton team to rally themselves for the run-in after a gut-wrenching late defeat to rivals Liverpool.

The bragging rights in the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium went to the Reds, thanks to Virgil van Dijk's 100th-minute header.

After Iliman Ndiaye had a goal disallowed for offside, Mohamed Salah struck against the run of play to open the scoring. Beto dragged Everton level midway through the second half, only for Van Dijk to break the Toffees' hearts late in the day.

At 99:53, Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk scored the joint-third latest winning goal on record (from 2006-07) in a Premier League match, after Chelsea v Manchester United in April 2024 (100:41) and Newcastle United v Leeds United in January 2026 (101:48).

Liverpool have now scored six 90th-minute winners against Everton in the Premier League – the most one side has against a single opponent in the competition's history.

The defeat leaves Everton 10th, but still just a point behind sixth-place Chelsea with five games remaining.

"I thought we were the better team for the first 25 minutes. We got back into the game and I thought if anyone was going to score, it was going to be us," said Moyes.

"I have got no problem – the players have done a great job. We are competing at that level.

"We didn't deserve the outcome we got, but football is cruel sometimes. You have to go again despite the adversity."

Everton face West Ham next week, before taking on Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Tottenham.

The Toffees also suffered an injury blow, with key defender Jarrad Branthwaite having to be taken off on a stretcher with an apparent hamstring issue.

Asked if he had an update to give on Branthwaite's status, Moyes said: "No [I don't], but I am worried though."