It is with good reason that David Moyes approaches trips to Anfield with trepidation.

The Everton manager started Merseyside derby week emphasising his desire to “get rid” of his unwanted record of 21 winless games at the home of his team’s closest rivals.

There was also an admission that his current side — or at least the one he inherited from Sean Dyche in January — “might be further away from Liverpool now than they have ever been”.

“I would be lying to say I look forward to going all the time, but it has to do with them having always produced good teams,” Moyes said in his pre-match press conference.

Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat was another reminder about why that aversion exists. Another near miss to add to Moyes’ and Everton’s Anfield collection.

The Scot admitted that Liverpool were in most ways “the better team on the night”.

That may have been true, certainly in general play, but this was also a match decided by fine margins. Beto’s shot that rebounded off the post, instead of nestling in the back of the net, when he went clean through in the first half; a Liverpool goal that, according to Moyes, “was clearly” offside as Luis Diaz lurked behind James Tarkowski; and, just as importantly, James Garner’s inability to clear on the edge of his box just before Diogo Jota’s winner.

Everton had experienced their own good fortune early in the first half, when Tarkowski escaped a red for a follow-through planted high up on Alexis Mac Allister’s shin. But Moyes voiced his frustration to the officials over the goal that perhaps should not have been and may have had a point.

“I’m really surprised it (offside) wasn’t given, or maybe I’m not surprised,” he said. “I don’t think there are many managers who think they get loads of decisions at Anfield. That’s just my opinion. And this is one I think is quite easy.”

Moyes’ Everton have already come a long way in a relatively short space of time. Their nine-game unbeaten streak and 17-point gap to the relegation zone heading into Tuesday were both testament to that.

But they accepted their inferiority on Tuesday at Anfield and showed all of their limitations.

When Moyes speaks of the gap between the two teams, he is really talking about the ability to execute with high skill at speed, particularly at the top end of the pitch.

Imprecision plagued Everton’s attacking play, not just with Beto’s chance but in many counter-attacking situations.

Jack Harrison squandered one promising position with a pass that dribbled through to Caoimhin Kelleher, a metaphor for their impotence during the evening. Abdoulaye Doucoure both overhit and underhit passes, while Beto was often flicking on headers to himself.

They had chances but did not muster a single effort on target and completed just 64 per cent of their passes. Too many passes sailed over the lone striker’s head.

Whenever they needed to conjure the guile and quality to take advantage of the promising positions they found themselves in, they came up short.

Both tactically and individually, they played with the shackles on for too long, never really sure whether to go for the jugular right until the end. It is still a shame that Carlos Alcaraz has not been seen more in a central role, given the promise he has shown there. Playing him on the left leaves him on the periphery too often.

Moyes threw on attackers in the form of Iliman Ndiaye, sporting heavy knee support on his return from injury, Armando Broja and finally Youssef Chermiti. But Everton got worse as the game progressed, their threat fizzling out.

If anything, the changes disrupted any flow they did have. All their chances of note came before the break and Liverpool’s opener.

“We had some opportunities,” Moyes said. “We have now played Liverpool twice and ran them close in both. Maybe we are a wee bit closer than we thought we were.

“We just couldn’t play well enough when we got the moments. We had chances but couldn’t quite take them.”

How do they take that next step Moyes himself alluded to?

Change will come across the squad over the summer, given how many players are soon to be out of contract.

Yet Moyes and new owners The Friedkin Group, whose representatives were on Merseyside this week for planning meetings, staff briefings and Wednesday’s match, will know the biggest overhaul needs to come in attacking areas.

Everton, for all their improved options of late, were still left chasing an Anfield derby with the 39-year-old Ashley Young on the wing. It brought back memories of Moyes’ famous “knife to a gunfight” quote during his first spell at Goodison.

This time, the task at hand is clear. There can be sticking-plaster solutions no longer if Everton are to finally progress.

“We have had a few years of difficult times, so I don’t know how quick we can close the gap but we’re trying to find ways of doing it,” Moyes said afterwards. “We are trying to do the best we can just now.

“We have an important summer coming up and new owners that we’re trying to get to know and understand what they want from us… understand where the club is going.

“But I am so pleased with the performance of the players; nine unbeaten before we came here tonight, running them close. They deserve a lot of credit.”

There may well be better days ahead for Moyes at Anfield, but not before a summer in which he will have to transform this Everton squad.

(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)