Liverpool comfortably saw off Everton in an action-packed 226th Merseyside derby at Anfield.

Divock Origi’s back-post header two minutes from the interval handed the Reds the lead before Mamadou Sakho glanced home in the final minute of first half added time.

But further drama was set to follow as Ramiro Funes Mori was sent off for a ruthless stamp on Origi at the beginning of the second half.

Daniel Sturridge compounded the visitors’ misery on the hour mark as he swept home while Philippe Coutinho added a fourth with 13 minutes remaining

Here were the main talking points from a lively evening encounter…

Wembley is now ‘win’ or ‘walk’ for Martinez

 

One manager has already seen his future sealed on the back of a Merseyside derby this season. Another now looks threatens to follow in the form of Roberto Martinez.

An already defining week for Everton’s beleaguered manager but it has become increasingly more do-or-die on the back of a shambolic Anfield encounter.

The initial signs had been promising; the Blues starting with both composure and impetus. True to form, however, it was simplicity that was again their undoing.

Poor defending remains an ill that Martinez’s philosophy seemingly has no remedy for. Two basic set pieces in less than five minutes led to two goals. A third followed with a similar lack of complication for Liverpool.

By that stage, even Jon Woods had clearly seen enough. Everton’s deputy chairman, tellingly, left his seat in the Anfield directors’ box immediately after.

Even Martinez had given up the ghost, standing morose with his arms crossed until the final whistle.

Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final has become increasingly must-win for the Catalan’s tenure. Fail to overcome Manchester United and there will be no place to hide.

Funes Mori’s stupidity adds insult to injury

 

Jurgen Klopp had spoken of an apprehension to continue the time-honoured theme of indiscipline in derbies.

“A red card can happen [any time]; if you are a second late in the challenge,” he said. “But not because you want to show ‘I’m the man’.”

Ramiro Funes Mori clearly felt that the latter was the best course of action.

The Argentine defender left the field after his X-rated stamp on Divock Origi warranted a red card, tugging at the Everton badge on his shirt in some bizarre tribute to the club’s ‘Dogs of War’ of the mid-1990s.

It was an act which will not curry favour with the majority of long-suffering Blues, with an increasing dearth of options in defence ahead of the forthcoming Wembley showdown..

John Stones’ subsequent withdrawal forced Martinez to deploy Muhamed Besic and James McCarthy, two midfielders, as makeshift centre-backs. That could remain the case on Saturday against Louis van Gaal’s side.

Funes Mori’s attempted posturing was a moment of madness which will likely come back to haunt Martinez’s side this weekend.

Oviedo exposed ahead of United showdown

 

Centre-backs were not the only defensive department which suffered during Everton’s Anfield nightmare.

Bryan Oviedo’s attempt to deputise at right-back in Seamus Coleman’s absence ended horrifically, as his shortcomings were exposed at will by Liverpool during the opening stages.

Only the reflexes of Joel Robles and a series of crucial interceptions from Stones were able to spare his blushes.

With the England international now doubtful for the semi-final, Van Gaal could be forgiven for relishing the prospect of an in-form Marcus Rashford or a pacy Anthony Martial coming up against the inconsistent Costa Rican.

Reds set down a marker for Klopp’s tenure

 

Given the paucity of their visitors, Liverpool had largely become an afterthought in this affair but the strides they have made under Klopp cannot go unnoticed.

Progress to the Europa League semi-final last week was a mere tip of the iceberg. The chants of ‘ole!’ that rang out from the Kop typified the progress made under the German during his formative months at the helm.

This was another yardstick moment; their dominance and ease made light work of Everton’s best squad since they last won at Anfield, in 1999.

Nowhere has that transformation been epitomised greater than in Mamadou Sakho’s elevation from a tragicomedy figure to a potential heir to Sami Hyypia, at both ends of the field.

The French defender’s well-timed tackle midway through the first half denied Romelu Lukaku a rare sight of goal while his powered header on the stroke of half time doubled the Reds’ advantage.

While Everton’s manager has presided over their stagnation, Liverpool appear to be back on the rise under their own.