Merseyside derby match-winner Izzy Christiansen believes Everton's 1-0 victory over Liverpool on Wednesday night can reignite the Blues’ form.

Christiansen struck the only goal of the game, the influential midfielder calmly slotting home five minutes into the Continental Cup clash at Walton Hall Park.

Everton were unable to add to their goalscoring tally despite carving out a host of opportunities, but successfully shut-out a gifted Liverpool attack to secure maximum points and sustain hopes of qualifying for the Continental Cup knockout stages.

Christiansen revealed manager Willie Kirk and his coaching staff were forthright and emphatic regarding the importance of emerging victorious in the derby contest.

And she is confident Everton’s success can help the Blues return to the performance levels which brought five straight victories at the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

“The staff put pressure on us and said, 'We have to win the game',” Christiansen told evertonfc.com.

“Not just because of our status in the Continental Cup, but also because we’re playing against our rivals.

“We know how big the rivalry is between Everton and Liverpool and we wanted to make sure we gave the fans something to smile about at the end of the game, and we certainly did that.

“I’m so happy to contribute. I think we played some very good football in spells.

“We’ve still got work to do but it’s an important result for us. Hopefully it can re-energise us after some poor results recently and we can kick on and keep improving.

“We’re a work in progress, but by our standards we haven’t lived up to what we’re capable of in recent matches.

“The win over Liverpool means a lot to us, to the city and to Everton fans.

“But we’ve got a bigger picture in mind and we’ve got a lot of work to do. We need to stick together and move forward.”

Christiansen started the clash in an advanced attacking midfield role and was instrumental in much of Everton’s slick and purposeful play.

The 29-year-old’s imaginative and accurate use of the ball was evident throughout, while a typical dart forward from midfield resulted in the derby’s decisive moment as she finished into the bottom corner after a clever layoff from Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah.

The strike was her third for Everton this term.

“I can affect the game more when I’m higher up the pitch, but equally I’m happy to do whatever job the manager wants me to,” Christiansen explained.

“I’m a creative, attacking-minded midfielder so I enjoy playing higher up, but it’s what’s right for the team.

“At the start of the second half, I was actually asked to drop a little bit deeper to gain some more control in the game.

“I’m quite an adaptable player and I’ll do whatever it is the team needs.

“That’s been ingrained in me from a young age.”