Divock Origi Nets Last-Minute Winner as Liverpool Beat Everton in Derby

Divock Origi came off the bench to find a bizarre late winner for Liverpool on Sunday in the Merseyside derby against Everton. The final score was 1-0.

Both teams had their moments, with the Toffees missing several great chances in the first half and Liverpool nearly falling short after the break. 

Origi came on for Roberto Firmino in the final minutes and became the hero for the home crowd deep in injury time.

The result leaves Liverpool two points behind Manchester City.

Reds' Front 3 Will Ruin Their Premier League Title Chances

Liverpool's trident of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane was a force to be reckoned with last season, and there's no denying their obvious talent and scoring potential.

But on Sunday the group fell short yet again this season, which is becoming a major issue in key fixtures.

Salah has rediscovered his shooting boots in recent weeks after a poor start to the season, but nearly all of his goals have come against the minnows of the Premier League and Champions League. He didn't find the target against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek and failed against Everton, with Jurgen Klopp taking him off after 77 minutes.

Firmino's scoring form has been an issue all season long, and Mane is going through an awful stretch, with no goals since October. He had several big misses on Sunday:

He has picked a terrible time to go cold, with the busy holiday season on the horizon. Manchester City don't look like they'll suffer a slump anytime soon―they haven't dropped points in the league since their draw at Anfield in October―and they seem to find goals from everywhere.

Liverpool's depth is a major weapon. Origi may have come through on Sunday, heading home in the final seconds, but it was only his first goal of the season. He and Daniel Sturridge are solid options, but not nearly as talented as City's bench pieces, which include Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez.

In a title race as close as this one, fine margins make all the difference. Liverpool's front three might be their biggest weapon, but due to the current lack of form and the limited depth, it will fail them in the title race.

Alisson Justifies Price Tag With Derby Showing

There were few complaints when Liverpool spent big to land Alisson Becker during the summer given the keeper's obvious talent and the club's need in the position. Loris Karius had only just cost the Reds dearly in the Champions League final, and the new man was coming off a fine season with Roma.

The Brazilian was solid in his first months with the club, but Sunday's derby marked the first time he truly justified his £67 million transfer fee―something he admitted to struggling with last month.

His massive save from Andre Gomes in the first half stood out in particular:

It was a great stop but also a key momentum-changer. The Reds were in real trouble, but Alisson pulled off the kind of save associated with his price tag.

Everton Will Rue Not Negotiating Gomes Option

Gomes once again put together an excellent showing on Sunday, running things for the Toffees in midfield.

With the exception of his miss in the first half―which really should have been a goal―the Portugal international was nearly flawless, impressing the Liverpool Echo along the way:

He's been one of the standouts for Everton in the past few months and his great play likely hasn't escaped parent club Barcelona. There's little doubt the Toffees will do what they can to sign him on a permanent deal at the end of the season, but that could prove tricky if he continues this kind of form.

Unlike Borussia Dortmund, who managed to insert an option into the deal for Paco Alcacer, Everton cannot make this loan permanent with a clause.

That will prove a major mistake. Dortmund triggered their option before the halfway point of the season, knowing full well Barcelona likely would have held out for a much larger fee given Alcacer's strong form.

The Catalans pay higher wages than anyone in sports, according to a survey from Sporting Intelligence (h/t Guardian's Sean Ingle). They need every penny they can get at this moment and won't just gift Gomes to Everton when the time comes.

What's Next?

Liverpool visit Burnley on Wednesday, while Everton host Newcastle United.