Everton earned a 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday afternoon in their third game of the Women's Super League season.

The win, in front of 23,088 fans, represents the Blues first victory of the campaign, while also signifying back-to-back away triumphs over their local rivals.

In a repeat of last year’s victory at Anfield, Megan Finnigan opened the scoring for the Blues. Her headed effort from Katrine Veje’s corner earned the Blues a one-goal lead just after the half-hour mark.

Everton defended brilliantly throughout to deny the hosts of any comeback hopes, reducing them to just three efforts on target.

Going into the game, Brian Sorensen made three changes from the side that were narrowly beaten by Manchester City in the League Cup on Wednesday.

Courtney Brosnan kept her place in goal, behind a back three of Nathalie Bjorn, Finnigan, and Veje. Heather Payne and Lucy Hope operated on the flanks as wing-backs, while Aurora Galli, Justine Vanhaevermaet, and Hanna Bennison played in the centre of midfield, supporting Emma Bissell and Nicoline Sorensen in the attack.

Despite the two league defeats prior to the Anfield outing, Everton had plenty of chances against both Leicester and Brighton, with only three clubs accumulating a higher expected goals figure so far this season.

It was an unfortunate start for the Blues, who saw Hope sustain a suspected ankle injury within the opening minute. She had to helped off the field and was replaced by Clare Wheeler – called upon to take up an unfamiliar position.

The difficult beginning to the game continued for the Toffees when Liverpool found the back of the net just seconds after the restart. Fortunately, Missy Bo Kearns’ strike was ruled out for offside, and the score remained level at 0-0.

The hosts came close again shortly after, with Ceri Holland crashing an effort off Brosnan’s crossbar.

A quieter period followed as the Toffees grew into the game after the lively opening few minutes.

Growing in confidence, Everton created a great opportunity through Sorensen, who found Bissell in the Liverpool box, but she could not quite guide it goalwards.

Threatening once again, Sorensen brought down a long ball towards the right flank, before twisting and turning inside and getting a shot off. Parried away by Rachael Laws, Everton had a corner just after the half-hour mark.

Taken by the left foot of Veje on the right side, the ball was lifted into the box, finding Finnigan, who leapt to beat her marker. Her header was too powerful for goalkeeper Laws and Everton opened the scoring.

After the Toffees took the lead, they managed to reduce any threat of an equaliser throughout the rest of the half, limiting Liverpool to just two efforts on target throughout the first 45 minutes!

Looking to an evident threat from corners once again, Everton came close just 10 minutes after the restart from another left-footed Veje delivery.

After that, however, the game returned to a fairly cagey state, with plenty on the line in the famous fixture.

The Blues controlled much of the half, minimising Liverpool’s chances of an equaliser by well-organised defending against the hosts’ possession.

Neither side created many opportunities in the half, until towards the end of the game when second-half substitute Katja Snoeijs came close with two efforts in quick succession.

In the 83^rd minute, she forced Laws into a great save after cutting in from the left, and just moments later, Snoeijs, making her first appearance of the season, nearly doubled the Blues lead again. This time, she hit the bar from a well-struck effort just inside the Liverpool penalty area.

The Reds had a wealth of possession in the closing stages, but the Toffees stayed strong at the back to keep hold of their lead and earn their first three points of the season in another famous Merseyside derby victory.