Liverpool extended their winning start to the Premier League season with victory over Everton at Anfield.

Arne Slot's side made it five wins from their opening five leagues, but the Reds were far from convincing again in the 2-1 victory, with goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike proving to be the difference.

Ryan Gravenberch lit the red touch paper after just 10 minutes when he superbly hooked a half volley into the far corner of the net. Mohamed Salah clipped a ball into space for the Dutchman to run into, but the midfielder had so much still to do.

Following the pace and spin of the ball, Gravenberch's finish was inch-perfect and out of the reach of Jordan Pickford. The 23-year-old showed another quality to his ever-growing catalogue.

Gravenberch has also been knocked for his ability to play forward between the lines compared to his midfield partners of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. But he also proved his doubters wrong on that front as he rolled in Hugo Ekitike to double the Reds' lead on the half hour mark.

Receiving the ball in space from Salah, Gravenberch threaded an inch-perfect pass into the path of the £79m summer signing, who made no mistake slotting through Pickford's legs to put the hosts in complete control.

Slot made the bold decision to drop two British record signings in Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz after both started the midweek Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid, although neither made any real impact, Slot decided to name the £250m duo on the bench.

While Isak's benching is easily explained by the Swede working towards full match sharpness, but Wirtz has so far failed to match the speed and intensity of the league, and has struggled to get to grips with his role in Slot's system.

The Dutchman evidently thought the German was not ready to start the derby, opting to name Ekitike and Szoboszlai in their respective roles. And his decision was perfectly vindicated in the first half with both inclusions playing with confidence and energy.

Speaking in his pre-match interview, Slot explained: "For today I think Szoboszlai, who played both of those games as well, is more used to the intensity of the Premier League and this programme than Florian is coming from Germany.

"So it's only to do with so many games in limited time. I think he will feature, but not from the start."

Everton will count themselves unlucky they didn't claw a goal back before half-time. David Moyes' men will feel the scoreline was harsh at the break with the Toffees having good spells in possession and on the front foot, with Beto and Idrissa Gueye's poor finishing seeing two big chances go begging.

The visitors started the second half seeing most of the ball, with Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye being constant threats down either flank.

And they got their rewards when Gueye found his shooting boots in the second half as he fired home into the roof of the net from 12 yards. It was the two wide men who combined, with Grealish picking out Ndiaye at the back post, who cushioned the ball into the path of the midfielder to spark the game back into life.

Liverpool had not got going in the second half and Slot attempted to add life into their play by bringing on Wirtz for Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones for Mac Allister. Isak soon followed in a straight swap for Ekitike. But the subs all failed to make an impact again.

The Reds did wrestle back some control, and almost got their two-goal lead back again, but for Grealish blocking Ibrahima Konate's goal-bound header.

Everton ended the game on top, searching for an equaliser, but the visitors were unable to find a way through to salvage a point that no one would have begrudged them.

Despite again looking far from convincing and being second best for considerable spells of the derby, Liverpool move six points clear at the top of the table before the rest of the weekend's fixtures get underway.

Arne Slot's bold Florian Wirtz decision vindicated in nervy Everton win - but Reds struggle again - Daily Star