Emlyn Hughes scored both goals in the closing stages at Goodison Park on 3 March 1973, turning a goalless derby into a 2–0 Liverpool victory. The result completed a league double over Everton and preserved Liverpool’s place at the head of the championship race.
The breakthrough came ten minutes from time. Hughes rounded Everton goalkeeper David Lawson to score, with Ian Callaghan credited with the assist. Eight minutes later Hughes struck again, giving Liverpool a two-goal advantage with very little time remaining.
For most of the afternoon there had been no separation between the sides on the scoresheet. Hughes supplied it twice. Peter Cormack’s late winner had settled the Anfield derby in October; now another pair of late goals secured Liverpool’s second league victory over their neighbours that season.
This time Cormack was not in the starting side. Liverpool’s eleven included Brian Hall and Phil Boersma, alongside Kevin Keegan and Steve Heighway. Tommy Smith was captain: Hughes, so closely associated with the armband in later years, was the match-winner without wearing it here.
The points mattered beyond Merseyside. Liverpool had 46 from 32 games, level with Arsenal but ahead on goal average and with a match in hand. Leeds remained in contention, four points behind Liverpool having played two fewer matches.
Liverpool had recently experienced a difficult league spell, losing to Wolves and Arsenal before drawing at Manchester City. A home victory over Ipswich restored winning form, and the Goodison result followed it. Wins against Southampton, Stoke and Norwich would extend that sequence to five league victories.
The title was still to be decided, but Liverpool had begun March with an away win and a clean sheet. A derby which remained goalless until its final ten minutes had yielded both points through Hughes’s two decisive interventions.