Premier League: This Mersey Derby Is a Doozy!

Everton vs Liverpool

After another difficult week Arne Slot’s beleaguered Liverpool have no respite next weekend when they take the short trip across the city to meet David Moyes’ ever improving Everton.

The Toffees are so ready for this clash: Premier League: Everton vs Liverpool, as the Reds prepare to make their first Premier League visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Everton have won their last two games at home and come into this clash with a 2-2 draw away to Brentford, while Liverpool ended a poor run with a 2-0 win over Fulham but then crashed out of Europe three days later.    

Liverpool had a two goal deficit to make up when they met Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter final second leg on Tuesday, and, after a first half dominated by the French giants, the Reds went on the attack only to be beaten by a late Ousmane Dembele double to lose 4-0 on aggregate.

This derby is all the spicier as only five points separate the two clubs.     

Six teams are chasing the Champions League places, Liverpool are trying to hang on to their fifth spot while Everton are one of the insurgents who can nudge one of the most fancied teams out of the way, and that makes this ‘Friendly Derby’ a classic six-pointer. The pre-match Everton vs Liverpool betting odds say the Reds are the favourites but the Everton manager doesn’t see it that way, saying: “We’ll get ready for it, first time we’ve had Liverpool in the new stadium. We’re in a much healthier position than we’ve been in for many years.”     

 

Talking Points

Moyes’ makes the most of his resources

It must be an endless source of amusement to Everton fans that their team sits just three places and five points behind Liverpool in the Premier League table. Particularly as the Reds spent over £400m last summer, while the Toffees concentrated on their move to their shiny new home.  

Burnley and Chelsea have fallen in recent weeks at Bramley Dock and striker Beto scored a brace in the 3-0 win over the Londoners, which will do his confidence the world of good. While club stalwarts Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski are probably the most influential stars, the manager has been able to call on his squad players, and his new recruits have been superb. Jack Grealish, though injured, has rediscovered his mojo on Merseyside, while attacking midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored the crucial leveller against the Cottagers and has impressed hugely. 20 year old Chelsea winger, Tyrique George, on loan to the Toffees has a part to play in the run in, providing competition for wide man Dwight McNeil, and I suspect he’ll be in the frame for the play derby on Sunday.     

 

Rio shows his worth

This season has been hugely frustrating for Slot, not to mention the fans of Liverpool, and the club’s owners who backed their manager to the hilt after he won the Premier League title last term. Of the new signings Hugo Ekitike has been the most impressive, but the France striker limped off during the defeat to PSG on Tuesday and his season, plus the World Cup look doubtful on the evidence of his departure.

Liverpool will hope for good news; but, even without Ekitike the Reds have plenty of quality in their front line, with Mo Salah is his last campaign at the club and Alexander Isak returning to action at long last. And one player hoping to make some memorable Everton vs Liverpool highlights is teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha, who helped the Reds end a sequence of three defeats with the 2-0 win over the Cottagers. He became the youngest ever Premier League goalscorer at Anfield with a superb strike; at 17 years and 225 days Rio has the world at his feet and, while it may heap more pressure on the new arrivals, Slot must hope he can grow into a key role quickly. The other man the Liverpool fans have drooled over this term is midfield ace Dominik Szoboszlai who has been the standout performer so far.

 

History

In modern times Liverpool have been dominant in the Mersey derby, winning 31 of the last 66 encounters, while Everton have won just nine; but there have been 26 draws in that time.  

On their home turf the Toffees have been hard to beat, losing 11 of 31 meetings, while winning six and drawing 14. Everton have won one and drawn two of the last three Mersey derbies at home, though they fell to a 2-1 loss at Anfield in September.

Everton’s recent form is stronger with three wins, one drawn and two defeats from their last six games, while an out of sorts Liverpool have won two and lost four.      

 

Betting Tip

Liverpool are the clear favourites at SBOTOP odds of 2.10 to win this clash with Everton priced at 3.30. The Double Chance; Everton or Draw is available at 1.67, with Under 2.50 goals at 2.10.

I can see a 1-1 result: but I’m backing a draw of any score. That won’t be ideal for either team, but the bragging rights will be shared and no fan on Merseyside would easily stomach a defeat.       

   

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