Liverpool’s derby winner, Divock Origi, has said he never gave up hope of resurrecting his Anfield career despite falling out of favour under Jürgen Klopp.

Origi’s dramatic 96th-minute header against Everton on Sunday was his first Liverpool goal since May 2017 and came in only his second substitute’s appearance of the season. The 23-year-old’s fortunes deteriorated at Liverpool after sustaining serious ankle ligament damage in a foul by former Everton defender Ramiro Funes Mori in 2016. He would have been allowed to leave Anfield this summer had a suitor met Liverpool’s £26m valuation.

The Belgium international remains of interest to several clubs for the January transfer window but, having pushed himself ahead of Dominic Solanke in the Anfield pecking order in recent weeks, the striker insists his priority was to seize the next opportunity under Klopp.

Origi said: “It was special. It was a crucial goal, one of the most crucial I have scored for Liverpool so it was special. You could see the emotion of the fans and the coach and the players so we celebrated all together. It is a good day for Liverpool.”

As for his position at Liverpool, the striker added: “I just try to focus on what I can control and that was training well and shining my light. The rest I knew I couldn’t control so whatever minutes I got, I just tried to make the most of it and, thank God, it turned out well. The manager told me to just play my game and play like I have been in training. I was feeling good.

“I just try to play my game, whatever role it is. It’s on the pitch you have to do your talking and it is the coach who makes the decisions so the best I can do is show my best form. As a player you always want to play a lot of minutes but as a team we have a lot of goals this season and I just try to shine my light and see wherever it goes.”

The striker, who spent last season on loan at Wolfsburg, should have broken the stalemate in the 87th minute but turned a Virgil van Dijk header against the bar from close range. Van Dijk was also involved in the winning goal when his sliced volley prompted Jordan Pickford’s error, although admits the outcome took him completely by surprise.

Van Dijk said: “If you look at the footage I thought: ‘What am I doing?’ first. I’m a defender so sometimes you need to think a little bit more as a striker when you are up there but, in the end, it was fantastic it goes in like that. I think he [Origi] should have scored the one before when I headed it to him. I told him but, you know, it’s a special feeling to win the derby in the last minute.”