Virgil van Dijk's debut goal settles testy Merseyside derby as Liverpool reach FA Cup fourth round

A dream debut winner from Van Dijk sees Liverpool extend their unbeaten run against Everton to 16 matches and puts Jurgen Klopp's side in the hat for the fourth round of the FA Cup.

That is all from me, thanks for following along. IBTimes UK will be back tomorrow to bring you live coverage of a third-round Saturday that features a clash between Norwich City and Chelsea at Carrow Road.

Goodnight.

Full-time

Liverpool 2-1 Everton

Bolasie ignores a useful run from Sigurdsson to his right and shoots well over from distance.

Lookman sidefoots a Bolasie ball across the face of goal and Niasse feels he is impeded by Van Dijk. No penalty.

At the other end, Oxlade-Chamberlain cuts inside onto his left foot and curls an effort high and wide.

Four minutes of added time for Everton to find an equaliser.

A final roll of the dice from Allardyce sees McCarthy make way for Tom Davies.

A debut goal from Van Dijk sees Liverpool put one foot in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Dutch defender towers over Jagielka to head into an empty net with Pickford, who has been excellent since joining Everton from Sunderland in the summer, completely missing with an attempted punch.

Anfield erupts. A potential late winner at the Kop End in the Merseyside derby is not a bad way to mark your first appearance...

Goal: Liverpool 2-1 Everton (Virgil van Dijk)

Niasse for Calvert-Lewin is Allardyce's second substitution. A moment of hesitation from Karius won't endear him any further to Liverpool supporters.

Martina gets caught on the wrong side of Solanke and Oxlade-Chamberlain has another chance to deliver a ball into the Everton box.

Firmino's shot from the back of the box deflects behind off the head of Jagielka.

Klopp makes a double change with less than 15 minutes left to play. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominic Solanke replace Gomez and Milner.

Lookman has given Everton a new lease of life since coming on. He catches Gomez in possession and wins a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left.

Sigurdsson's searching ball is emphatically headed clear by Firmino.

Another Oxlade-Chamberlain free-kick almost falls to Van Dijk in the Everton box. Jagielka hacks clear.

Klopp responds to the equaliser by sending on Georginio Wijnaldum in place of Lallana.

Liverpool get a taste of their own medicine as they are caught on the counter from their own corner.

Bolasie does well to break and find Lookman, who cuts inside Robertson before shifting the ball across to Jagielka.

The Everton skipper is unable to get a shot away and instead tees up Sigurdsson, who slots into the bottom corner with Karius rooted to the spot. Expert finish from the Icelander.

Pandemonium in the Anfield Road Stand, which tonight is filled completely by Toffees supporters.

Goal: Liverpool 1-1 Everton (Gylfi Sigurdsson)

Gomez leans into Calvert-Lewin and ensures that Kenny's cross merely glances of his head and wide.

Karius is told to hurry up over the goal kick and Holgate is beaten by Mane before recovering to produce a well-timed challenge in the penalty area.

Van Dijk is presented with a golden opportunity to mark his Liverpool debut with a goal after Martina fouls Gomez and Oxlade-Chamberlain whips in a delicious free-kick from the right flank.

However, the centre-back aims his header straight at Pickford and the chance goes begging.

Liverpool firmly back in the ascendancy as Oxlade-Chamberlain is prevented from getting on the end of a cross and Pickford saves from Robertson at his near post after the Scottish left-back breezes past Bolasie.

Kenny then gets across to clear Oxlade-Chamberlain's dangerous cutback. McCarthy was booked a few moments ago for bringing down Milner.

Karius spills a right-wing free-kick from Sigurdsson after Bolasie is fouled by Milner.

Everton build a bit of pressure, but the ball is played behind a stumbling McCarthy.

Pickford elects to stay in his area and Lallana, released by a great pass from Firmino, prods hopelessly wide.

Liverpool win their first corner of the match off Kenny. Gomez is completely unmarked as he glances Oxlade-Chamberlain's ball wide at the back post.

20-year-old winger Ademola Lookman is going to be the first substitute to enter the fray.

Rooney, one bad challenge away from a second yellow card, trudges off after just 51 minutes. The Liverpool fans enjoyed that.

Robertson does brilliantly to head a searching back-post cross from Rooney behind under huge pressure from Calvert-Lewin.

Van Dijk clears the subsequent corner from a crowded six-yard box and a trademark Liverpool counter-attack grinds to a halt as Lallana plays a pass behind Firmino.

Rooney is dispossessed by Can and kicks back at the German midfielder. He's walking a tightrope here having already been booked during the first few minutes.

A red card feels inevitable for someone.

The second half is now off and running. No personnel changes from either camp just yet.

On his first signing as Everton boss, Allardyce said: "This lad looks like he is strong mentally and has a good pedigree. He is Turkey's No.1 striker and has scored goals in the Champions League and the Turkish League but he is desperate to play here in the Premier League.

"He is an all-rounder, with good movement. He is two-footed, perhaps not the biggest but he's very efficient in the air and in the box he gets good space to get his head on the ball.

"We looked at the qualities of the player, his talent and goalscoring, and his resilience, too. I do not think you can look any more than we have done and, for the price, he is the best in Europe at the moment."

He adds: "The manager and the club really wanted me very much and that is why I am here.

"Sam Allardyce was a big part of my decision. He said he really wanted me here and to feel that, of course, is another big reason to come to Everton."

Tosun has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract at Goodison Park that runs to the end of June 2022.

"It feels great to be an Everton player," he said. "I'm really happy to be here and happy that everything is done. I'm really excited to play for Everton as soon as possible. Everton is a great club with a big history and a big culture and I'm looking forward to showing the fans the kind of player I am.

"I bring my skills here and everybody is going to see what kind of player I am. I believe I can be a good player in the Premier League for Everton. The Premier League is a strong league, I know that, so my own physical strength will help me. Also I can use both feet the same and I believe I am a good striker in the box.

"I'm really looking forward to training with my teammates and getting to know them and, of course, I want to play as soon as possible. The Tottenham game will be the first game I am available for and I'm very excited about it already.

"I'm really excited to work with my new teammates because Everton has really, really big names, big players. I'm excited to play with them and to learn from them as well, players like Wayne Rooney and the very good creative players we have here, too. They can help me score goals.

"I know the guys as I've always watched Everton's games from Turkey, so I know a bit about the team already. I hope they can make a lot of assists for me!"

Everton confirm during the half-time interval that Cenk Tosun's £27m transfer from Besiktas is now complete...

A really pedestrian derby comes to life in the last 10 minutes of the first half with that massively controversial penalty and Holgate's mindless shove on Firmino.

It's starting to get a bit bad-tempered at Anfield.

Half-time

Liverpool 1-0 Everton

The first half ends with Everton's players berating Madley for failing to award Calvert-Lewin a free-kick outside the Liverpool box.

Two minutes of added time have been signalled at the end of this first half.

Martina does just enough to ensure that Oxlade-Chamberlain cannot apply the finish touch to a wonderful cross from Robertson.

That could easily have been the second goal.

Referee Madley looks to defuse the situation before going over to talk to fourth official Jon Moss.

Holgate is very fortunate to avoid a yellow card as the match gets back underway.

Van Dijk's shot from 35 yards is blocked and runs through to Pickford.

We then have our first flashpoint of the evening after Holgate pushes Firmino into the stand. The Brazilian is incensed and it all kicks off.

Allardyce is raging on the touchline after that penalty decision and a sliding challenge by Firmino on Rooney.

Pickford dives to his right as Milner fires straight down the middle to notch his first goal of the season.

First blood to Liverpool, who might say that is karma after the contentious penalty conceded by Lovren last month.

Goal: Liverpool 1-0 Everton (James Milner)

Holgate puts his arms around Lallana and gives away what looks to be a very soft spot-kick. Milner to take...

Penalty to Liverpool

Rooney tries to release Calvert-Lewin on the break, but his pass is intercepted by Karius.

Mane shoots wide at the other end.

Liverpool supporters voice their discontent as the referee rules that Sigurdsson's robust steal on Oxlade-Chamberlain is not deserving of a free-kick.

A floated pass from Lallana bounces off the head of Roberto Firmino and wide.

Everton test the waters with a couple of crosses after Sigurdsson finds a bit of space in the middle. The second from Bolasie is headed out for a corner by Van Dijk before Cuco Martina launches a shot into orbit.

Van Dijk received a bit of a painful knock a couple of minutes ago, but is not showing any ill effects.

Some nice passing football from Liverpool leads to the best chance of a quiet opening 25 minutes.

James Milner volleys Gomez's back-post ball across the face of goal and wide. Lallana was not too far away from steering that in.

Oxlade-Chamberlain's long-range drive cannons back off Jagielka. Not much action in this derby thus far.

Lallana concedes possession in sloppy fashion in midfield but Rooney is unable to take advantage with a disappointing pass towards Calvert-Lewin that is easily cleaned up by Matip.

Calvert-Lewin is sandwiched by Robertson and Van Dijk as he chases a looping long ball from Mason Holgate and ends up being penalised for a push on the Dutchman.

Mane cuts in from the left and runs at Morgan Schneiderlin before skewing a dismal effort well wide.

A wild effort from Can - whom reports from Italy say has reached an agreement in principle to join Juventus in the summer - sails into the stands.

Bolasie vs Robertson looks to be shaping into an intriguing battle. The former's hopeful cross from the right is swallowed up by Karius.

A great sliding tackle from Robertson on Bolasie earns Everton a debatable corner.

Calvert-Lewin is unable to turn Sigurdsson's delivery goal-bound and the ball eventually finds its way back to Jordan Pickford, who inadvertently slices it out of play.

The first yellow card of this Merseyside derby takes seven minutes to arrive and goes to a local lad. Rooney scythes down Gomez and deservedly has his name taken.

An early physical battle between Robertson and McCarthy, the latter of whom provided Everton with a real combative spark off the bench against Manchester United.

Bolasie takes on Van Dijk but is crowded out at the byline by Robertson.

Liverpool probe for an early opening but Kenny dispossesses Mane. Andy Robertson gets forward and chases a long pass from Van Dijk down that left flank but ends up diverting the overhit ball out for a throw-in on the nearside.

Referee Robert Madley blows his whistle and fit-again Everton winger Yannick Bolasie gets the 230th edition of the Merseyside derby - and the FA Cup third round -underway.

Can Liverpool make it 16 matches unbeaten against their local rivals?

Plenty of eyes will be on the world's most expensive defender this evening...

Liverpool are seven-time winners of the FA Cup (last in 2006), while Everton have lifted the famous old trophy on five occasions (last in 1995).

The Reds have lost in the fourth round in the last two seasons, while the Toffees have been beaten at this stage in two of the last three years. They reached the semi-final in the other.

Everton received a lot of criticism for their supposedly negative and cautious approach to the last Merseyside derby, but Allardyce insists that his side will not attempt to play open, expansive football tonight and risk a drubbing.

He also points out that neither team wants a replay given the current hand-wringing over fixture congestion.

These two teams last met in the FA Cup back in April 2012, when Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll netted to secure a 2-1 semi-final win at Wembley after Nikica Jelavic had opened the scoring.

All four previous meetings in the competition at Anfield have ended in draws, with Everton going onto win three of the subsequent replays, per the Liverpool Echo.

It's fair to say that Barkley's move has not gone down at all well among Everton supporters given that it comes just five months after he supposedly pulled out of a move to Stamford Bridge that would have netted the club around £15m more.

The Mayor of Liverpool and lifelong Toffees fan Joe Anderson has even taken to social media to say that he will be writing to both the FA and the Premier League calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the transfer.

Yeesh.

Antonio Conte described the 24-year-old as a "good prospect", very strong physically with good technique and "a lot of space for improvement".

He added: "He's a good prospect but it's very important to understand when he can recover from his injury. He had a bad injury, he had surgery and he hasn't played for seven months.

"We must have great patience and, at the same time, hope to recover him very quickly so he can help us for the rest of the season."

Back to Barkley, who has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract at Chelsea and will wear Frank Lampard's old number 8 shirt.

"I'm overwhelmed, I'm looking forward to it and I'm really excited to get started," he said.

"To be given a fresh start at a new club like Chelsea, it's unbelievable for me. I'm looking forward to continuing where I left off at the end of last season and hoping to improve and add more goals to my game."

On globetrotter Mane, who netted the first goal at Burnley before finishing second to teammate Salah at the African Player of the Year awards, Klopp joked: "Ghana is a nice country and not too far away from our time. It was a proper flight and maybe he had a better bed than I had.

"Everything is good and he had enough time to sleep. Everything was perfectly organised – all good."

Here's Klopp explaining tonight's team selection....

It's just a normal football game. We couldn't do too much so far; Ragnar Klavan and Dejan Lovren played a lot of games in the last few weeks, and both have a little bit here and a little bit there.

So, [we have] fresh Joel Matip for this very important game. And a very fresh Virgil van Dijk – not fine-tuned, of course, but to deal with my expectations as a player is quite easy.

It's only about what they are feeling from around. I hope that especially all the people of Liverpool accept that the best things will come. But tonight he has to help us. We know that and we will help him as well.

Liverpool's sensational summer signing is present at Anfield this evening...

Everton swap five, with Jonjoe Kenny, captain Phil Jagielka, James McCarthy, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Calvert-Lewin replacing Keane, Ashley Williams, Tom Davies, Nikola Vlasic and Oumar Niasse.

Klopp makes six changes to the side that beat Burnley, with only Joe Gomez, Emre Can, Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mane retaining their starting berths.

Joel Matip partners Van Dijk in the heart of defence.

BREAKING: Van Dijk and Mane both start for Liverpool

Allardyce said it would be "dangerous" to risk Michael Keane against Liverpool after the centre-back required stitches on a foot injury suffered against United.

He joins Leighton Baines, Ramiro Funes Mori, Seamus Coleman and Maarten Stekelenburg in the treatment room.

Allardyce's hopes of perhaps including Cenk Tosun on the bench this evening have been scuppered, with Everton failing to register their prospective new signing by the midday deadline.

The Turkish forward is still expected to complete his proposed £27m switch from Besiktas, although negotiations over a four-and-a-half year contract were said to have hit a minor snag at Finch Farm on Thursday evening.

Ross Barkley would not have been fit enough to make his first appearance of the season anyway having only recently returned to training following groin and hamstring surgery and confirmation of a £15m move to Chelsea means he has definitely played his final game for his boyhood club.

Klopp - who said there was "no rush" to play Van Dijk - has already confirmed that Simon Mignolet will be rested entirely tonight, with deputy Loris Karius in goal and third-choice option Danny Ward likely to be on the bench.

2017 Confederation of African Football Player of the Year Mohamed Salah remains sidelined with a groin injury, while Philippe Coutinho (thigh) is also still missing as speculation abounds that he will finally get his wish by sealing a big-money move to Barcelona this month.

Captain Jordan Henderson, Alberto Moreno, Daniel Sturridge, Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Bogdan and Marko Grujic complete a lengthy list of absentees, though Sadio Mane is in contention despite making a 6000-mile round trip with Salah to the Ghanaian capital of Accra for an awards bash on Thursday night.

Good evening and welcome to IBTimes UK's live coverage of one of the enduring highlights of the English footballing calendar - FA Cup third round weekend.

We will have plenty of David versus Goliath clashes and potential banana skins to come over the next couple of days, but here our attention is focused on unquestionably the tie of the weekend at Anfield - where local rivals Liverpool and Everton lock horns under the lights in the 230th edition of the Merseyside derby.

The hosts, who could hand an eagerly anticipated debut to Virgil van Dijk following his £75m move from Southampton, go into tonight's clash brimming with confidence after a last-gasp header from Ragnar Klavan of all people extended their impressive unbeaten run to 16 matches across all competitions at Burnley on New Year's Day.

Everton, by contrast, are in something of a slump after making unspectacular but steady progress following the appointment of Sam Allardyce.

After following a dour Boxing Day stalemate at West Brom with a late defeat at Bournemouth, the Toffees, now winless in four, kicked off 2018 with a 2-0 defeat by Manchester United sealed by fantastic strikes from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard.

They will also be well aware that a 1-1 draw against Liverpool in December - in which Wayne Rooney cancelled out Mohamed Salah's opener from the penalty spot after Dejan Lovren was adjudged to have pushed Dominic Calvert-Lewin - saw the Reds equal their longest-ever unbeaten run (15 games) against their local rivals.