Everton’s win last night has meant so much to so many people, unsurprisingly.
After all, it is not every day that the Toffees prevail in a Merseyside derby, having won just twice now across the last 14 years.
However, after the first few minutes of the match against Liverpool, it only really ever felt like there would be one winner.
The referee was fair, the Toffees were relentless, and the Reds were profligate. The stars had aligned at last.
And the full-time scenes were unsurprisingly ones of great emotion, with one Everton player in particular left elated as he strutted around Goodison Park.
Sean Dyche reveals Seamus Coleman’s reaction to derby win
Sean Dyche was unsurprisingly glowing in his post-match praise of his team, who, to a man, were flawless.
The goalkeeper was sharp and imperative when called upon, and for the most part, the back four were resolute and relentless.
Meanwhile, the midfield put in a remarkable shift, as did the front three in largely blunting Liverpool’s attack.
There are likely not enough hours in the day for Dyche to truly offer the praise he will feel they all deserve, so he instead settled on revealing a heartwarming behind-the-scenes look at Seamus Coleman’s reaction to the night.
He told BBC Sport: ‘We stayed focused tonight and I asked if they could stay with us and they did. Sunday was massive and now it was a massively important derby game. For people like Seamus Coleman, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s so happy.’
Seamus Coleman has waited so long for another Everton win over Liverpool
Having admittedly started in Everton’s 2-0 win at Anfield back in 2021, and back in their last home win in 2010, Coleman certainly knows what it feels like to win a derby.
However, with no fans inside the stadium in the former fixture, it did not quite offer the full experience despite it remaining a historic night.
Under floodlights at Goodison Park, the Toffees would end their 14-year hoodoo in emphatic fashion as the 35-year-old watched on from the sidelines.
Still injured, and therefore unable to feature, that did not detract from his post-match passion.
After all, the club have only won one home Merseyside derby since his 2009 arrival, so the wait has been arduous.
But it is no less than he deserves, having remained loyal and enamoured with this club despite opportunities having presented themselves to exit Everton for greener pastures.
The fans are well aware of this though, and could not be happier for him and the team to finally get this monkey off their back after so long.