English FA Premiership/Everton - 1 Liverpool - 0: Those Liverpool supporters scurrying away to lick their wounds were hounded by the raucous chants of the victorious long after Saturday's final whistle. "Listen to that," said David Moyes, his voice rising above the din from outside. "How long has it been since they've had something to shout at the people over the road? They'll roll into work on Monday straight from the pub."

Evertonians, heads pounding but hearts still tripping, will do that with glee this morning. Seven years of frustration and no little humiliation against their local rivals have been exorcised and red superiority tempered. Moyes's threadbare but strident squad leapt to second place in the Premiership with this win, moving a staggering 12 points clear of Liverpool in the process.

Praising the revival instigated by Moyes is becoming cliched, though Saturday's derby win encapsulated all that the Scot and his squad have truly achieved. For the supporters of a club which has meandered in mediocrity for too long, pride is restored. "Evertonians have been suppressed over recent years and you can hear what that meant for them," said the manager.

"I'm not saying we've bridged the gap with Liverpool - in terms of the finances and the quality of the squads there is still a huge difference - but we've shown we can bridge it when it's 11 versus 11 out on the pitch."

They did that with rugged purpose here, capitalising on the visitors' surprising willingness to concede any advantage their benched flair players may have provided. Xabi Alonso watched from the sidelines, leaving Steven Gerrard marooned in an advanced role without the Spaniard's metronomic passing at his rear. Instead Liverpool laboured in the defensive mind-set of Salif Diao and Dietmar Hamann, favoured by manager Rafael Benitez for their fresh legs having not played in midweek.

"The way they played allowed me and Tommy Gravesen to bomb forward," said Tim Cahill, who missed a glorious early opening. "We didn't have Alonso's passing to contend with and it seemed they were a bit worried about how we play."

The psychological advantage was surrendered too easily, though visitors to Goodison are wary with good reason these days. Everton are nothing if not relentless. Lee Carsley, so long an unsung hero, working tirelessly to shield a miserly defence, emerged from shackling Gerrard to steer a shot beyond the unsighted Chris Kirkland from 20 yards. He promptly disappeared under a pile of delirious team-mates.

All being well, there will be more bodies added during next month's transfer window.

"We can't make a step up to become a Chelsea or a Liverpool because we don't have the financial infrastructure but it's about getting the right bodies in," said Moyes. "If we don't find anyone out there, we won't bring anyone in."

Benitez avoided a detailed analysis of his side's defeat.

"We had some clear, clear chances and didn't score. They did," he said. "Everton are an aggressive side, but the question is if you have the opportunity you need to score.

"We're thinking about this game - and we need to learn from it."

Benitez can hardly consider not strengthening during the winter window. An energy-sapping week ended on a demoralising note but Portsmouth visit Anfield tomorrow and, if the manager's bold assertion that Liverpool will finish in the top four is to be accurate, victory is imperative. The Spaniard has already seen his side lose nine times this season in all competitions and his early purchases, the full back Josemi in particular, are struggling to look the part.

Kevin Kilbane tore beyond Josemi at will here, though the back line's fragility is not helped by Kirkland's recent jitters. This match was his 14th of the season, a stretch which - League Cup outings aside - constitutes his longest injury-free run since he signed from Coventry three years ago. There is, however, a nervousness to his game which is affecting his team-mates.

Crosses were missed, indecisiveness prompting one volley of abuse from a panicked Jamie Carragher, before the clutch of bodies ahead of Kirkland distracted him on Carsley's decisive goal.

"That was unlucky," said Nigel Martyn, whose magnificent save from Neil Mellor's point-blank header was matched by his tip over from Gerrard late on. "You can become a villain so quickly in this game."

Such was Liverpool's topsy-turvy week, though those tickled in blue could hardly care less.