There is no sugar-coating how difficult Everton’s season has been, so their first victory of the campaign against local rivals Liverpool carries greater significance.

To do it in their final Women’s Super League game at Goodison Park to move off the bottom of the table just capped it off.

Brian Sorensen has had to deal with an injury crisis and financial limitations in the transfer window but criticism was growing as Everton’s winless run continued.

They have had their share of bad luck so it felt like a matter of time before their fortunes would overturn and they were forunate to have been awarded a controversial penalty.

But as Sorensen said afterwards: “We’ll take it”.

This was a game that needed a result, not a performance, and Everton got what they came for.

With just four points separating Liverpool in sixth and Crystal Palace in 12th, suddenly Everton’s position does not look quite as precarious.