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THEY can gloat and brag, but it meant much, much more than that.
And if it does not to Liverpool's fans, having seen Everton beaten at Anfield, it will to their warring owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
This was not just the 207th Merseyside derby. It was the £30 million (S$82.5 million) derby, with the riches the Champions League offers the prize for the winner.
Liverpool took the spoils and, five points ahead of their neighbours and with a vastly superior goal difference, they are in pole position to secure fourth place in the Premier League.
And that, like so many of their wins, is thanks to Fernando Torres.
Liverpool's top scorer got his 28th goal of a productive season to give them an early lead.
No wonder his name rang around Anfield thereafter. It would be no surprise, too, if he figured in the nightmares of the tormented Everton defenders for weeks to come.
It was another match that suggests Liverpool do not need a strike partnership when one forward is as capable of wreaking havoc as Torres.
With each of the trio supporting him - Ryan Babel, Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt - exerting an influence - Liverpool dominated, but they won because of Torres.
His goal was a triumph for one club record signing, but a disaster for the other.
As Everton cleared a corner, the ball fell to Ayegbeni Yakubu on the edge of his own box.
Trying to dribble it away, he was robbed by Xabi Alonso, who found Kuyt, and the Dutchman picked out Torres.
Liverpool's most expensive buy finished with trademark assurance, across Tim Howard and into the far corner.
It should have been followed with further goals as a host of chances were created.
Sadly for Liverpool, they did not fall to Torres.
Instead, a hat-trick of opportunities came Kuyt's way. Howard tipped one shot wide, watched as the Dutchman headed Gerrard's corner past the post and then, two minutes later, curled an effort just wide.
Earlier, with the goal gaping, Babel somehow failed to apply the decisive touch to John Arne Riise's cross.
Only Gerrard could count himself unfortunate. One wonderful volley was struck ferociously, appeared unstoppable but bounced back off the woodwork.
At least for the first 45 minutes, Liverpool were everything they failed to be against Manchester United last week. They were vibrant, inventive and attacking, three things Everton conspicuously failed to be.
For all their admirable efforts over the season, Everton are a team running out of steam and missing perhaps their most influential player, the indefatigable Tim Cahill, who often performs well against Liverpool.
Instead, they spent much of the match penned back in their own half, hassled and harried as Liverpool, led by Gerrard, were quicker to the ball time and again.
Without Cahill's support, Yakubu operated as a lone striker, stranded without support for much of the time. He only needs one more to become the first Everton player for 16 years to reach 20 goals, but he rarely looked like achieving it yesterday.
And if Jose Reina had been hoping for a quiet afternoon after his troubles at Old Trafford last week, his wish was granted.
Everton did not threaten for an hour, until Leon Osman headed a Mikel Arteta free kick wide. The most Reina himself was tested was by Arteta's corners, which he punched away.
The Spaniard found himself shielded by a back-four comprised solely of fine headers of the ball.
As he sometimes does against teams he considers physical, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez tinkered to pack his side with bigger players. Hence Riise was at left-back and Jamie Carragher on the right.
Rather than size, however, it was notable that Liverpool were quicker, and they are accelerating towards Champions League football.
stsports@sph.com.sg
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