The Merseyside will be divided into two halves of Red and Blue when Liverpool will welcome their neighbouring rivals, Everton at Anfield on Sunday.
Liverpool are currently just one point off from the PL throne, on the other hand, Everton is one point off from the ‘unwanted; relegation zone.
Liverpool vs Everton: Preview
After coming off an emphatic win against their old North-East rivals Man United, Liverpool now faces their rival neighbours Everton in the 291st Merseyside Derby, in all competitions.
15 places and 47 points is what separates the 2 Merseyside giants. Liverpool are in the run for a historic Quadruple, on the other hand, Everton are in a battle to survive in the Topmost Tier of the English Leagues.
Liverpool would look to ride on their brilliant form against their arch-rivals. Having won 122 of the Derby fixtures till date, and drawn 85 games, the Reds would be having the upper hand.
What will fuel the Red side of the city is that their team has lost in one match in the previous 22 Premier league derbies. They have a record of (9W D12) in those fixtures, but Everton had tasted victory in the same fixture last year (0-2), the only stat that could instil some confidence in them.
Frank Lampard led side have won only one match against their arch-rivals at Anfield, by breaking their winless streak of 20 games(D9 L11). The last time ‘The Toffees’ had won consecutively at Anfield was in the February of the 1985-86 season.
Klopp’s side would look to do the League double over Everton for the second time in the previous 10 seasons, having last achieved the feat in the 2016-17 season.
Everton’s last season’s 2-0 victory at Anfield was just the first time, they managed a clean sheet in nearly 8 games. The last time they had kept an away clean sheet against the Reds games was in the January of 2004.
The Liverpool V Everton fixture has seen the most (24) draws being played among other matches in the Premier League. The fierce Merseyside derby also holds the unwanted distinction of seeing the most red cards (22), as well as the most 90-minute winners (5) in league history.
Everton manager Frank Lampard would look to get his players to create some magic on the pitch, to see over their rivals. A win for the Toffees could see them 4 points par off the relegation zone and look to move further upwards from here on.
A Liverpool win could see them go on top of the table by a difference of 2 points if Man City lose their fixture against Watford.
A draw wouldn’t be of much significance to either side, considering one has a clear ambition to win the premier, and the other to stay in the premier league.
Team News
Liverpool have a full-fledged squad to face Everton, as Roberto Firmino is also to be assessed and expected to return to the side after missing the United fixture due to a ‘foot injury’.
With the Villareal fixture coming up next in the UEFA Champions League, Klopp will have to assess his key players and give them starts or playing time accordingly.
For Everton what comes as a blow is that their Forward and key play Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been ruled out of the Merseyside derby.
The English International is expected to sit out for at least 10 days, after suffering a ‘thigh issue’, his teammates Donny van de Beek and Andre Gomes are to miss out with a groin concern.
The manager is also dealing with the absence of a few regular players. Former Spurs player Dele Alli was a key player against Leicester but had come off the bench. Frank Lampard would look to field the same playing XI without chopping and changing much.
Liverpool’s possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Jota, Mane
Liverpool vs Everton: What Anfield Home Predicts
Well, it looks like Liverpool would be getting their 123rd Derby victory, but Everton who are struggling at the bottom possesses enough capability to upset the title aspirants.
With Liverpool forward Salah also breaking his goalless streak and firing a brace in last game, Liverpool would look to break Everton’s defence from early on.
Anfield Home predicts that this Derby would see the Merseyside painted Red, Liverpool winning it by 3-0.
