Liverpool head to Goodison Park for the final time on Saturday, as Everton look to dent their rivals’ Premier League title hopes.
Everton vs. Liverpool
Premier League (15) | Goodison ParkDecember 7, 2024 | 12.30pm (GMT)
The Reds might solely draw 3-3 at Newcastle on Wednesday, as they noticed their lead on the high of the Premier League reduce to seven factors.
Subsequent up is the weekend journey to Everton, with a probably emotional event seeing Goodison host one closing derby until the pair draw one another within the FA Cup.
Right here’s all it’s essential know forward of an enormous recreation for Liverpool.
1. Key gamers nonetheless lacking for Reds
Liverpool picked up no new damage issues towards the Magpies, however necessary gamers are nonetheless absent.
Saturday’s recreation will come too quickly for Alisson, however the Brazilian is nearing a return on a regular basis, which is a lift after Caoimhin Kelleher‘s late error at St James’ Park.
Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota are all nonetheless lacking, however the latter is “shut” to being again within the fold.
2. Mac Allister an enormous loss by means of suspension
Liverpool will even be with out Alexis Mac Allister for the journey to Everton.
The World Cup winner picked up his fifth Premier League reserving of the season at Newcastle, which means he should serve a one-match ban.
Mac Allister is suspended for subsequent Tuesday’s journey to Girona within the Champions League, too, affording him a breather within the subsequent couple of matches.
Ryan Gravenberch is just one reserving away from a ban of his personal, whereas Dominik Szoboszlai is on three yellow playing cards within the league for the season.
3. Everton hit kind simply earlier than derby conflict
Everton needed to go and discover some kind simply earlier than enjoying Liverpool, didn’t they?
The Blues’ received 4-0 at house to Wolves on Wednesday evening, giving Sean Dyche some much-needed respite, amid doubts over his future.
It has nonetheless been an uninspiring season at Goodison, although, with Everton sitting fifteenth within the desk and solely 5 factors above the relegation zone.
That mentioned, Liverpool might clearly be enjoying their native rivals at a greater time.
4. Potential Liverpool lineup
Liverpool seemed drained at Newcastle, particularly within the first half, so will probably be attention-grabbing to see what number of adjustments Arne Slot makes.
The Girona recreation gives a significantly better alternative to rotate, although.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will certainly return rather than Jarell Quansah at right-back, with Joe Gomez partnering Virgil van Dijk, regardless of a poor evening on Wednesday.
With Mac Allister out, Curtis Jones ought to sit deeper alongside Gravenberch, with Szoboszlai returning to the workforce.
Darwin Nunez didn’t supply sufficient in midweek, so Luis Diaz ought to begin at centre ahead.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.
5. Predicted Everton XI
The quickfire nature of this week’s fixtures doesn’t make life simple for Dyche, however an analogous beginning XI to the aspect that thumped Wolves is predicted.
That might imply 39-year-old Ashley Younger beginning at right-back, which must be an space for Liverpool to focus on.
In the meantime, Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil will present the width in assault, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin main the road.
Chermiti and Armanda Broja are long-term absentees for Everton, whereas Michael Keane is “contact and go” to be match.
Attainable Everton XI: Pickford; Younger, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure; Ndiaye, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin.
6. Slot assured about Kelleher’s mindset
Talking in his pre-derby press convention, Slot spoke positively about Kelleher’s psychological state, following his pricey mistake:
“Sadly for Caoimh, within the place he’s in, in the event you make a mistake or misjudgement, it’s very tough for another person to cowl it up for you.
“He’s carried out that a couple of instances for us, if another person makes a mistake he’s all the time there to assist us.
“Sadly, we, as a workforce, aren’t capable of assist him if he misjudges a ball as he’s the final participant.
“I believe he’s in an excellent place, though he’s upset like all of the others as a result of we dropped factors from a successful state of affairs one minute earlier than the tip.”
7. Countless attracts in Goodison derbies
It’s simple to imagine that Liverpool have dominated this fixture, on account of their house kind in it, however they typically discover life powerful at Goodison.
Final season’s 2-0 defeat nonetheless stings, and actually, the Reds have solely received there as soon as of their final seven journeys.
5 of these video games have been attracts, with three 0-0s alongside the way in which.
This highlights what a difficult job Saturday has the potential to be, and why Liverpool should be much better than they have been towards Newcastle.
8. Did You Know?
If Mohamed Salah scores twice on Saturday, he’ll be part of Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s document scorer towards Everton within the Premier League with 9 objectives.
No less than a brace for him would additionally see him turn out to be the primary Reds participant within the Premier League period to attain a minimum of twice in three successive away video games.
Salah is now simply two objectives away from becoming a member of Billy Liddell in joint-fourth place in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts.
He may very well be within the Reds’ three greatest gamers in historical past at this level, alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish and Gerrard.
9. Derby referee confirmed
Michael Oliver will referee Saturday’s much-anticipated conflict, with the 39-year-old seen by many because the main official within the nation.
Not that everybody thinks that!
Oliver’s solely Liverpool recreation of the season to this point was the shock 1-0 defeat at house to Nottingham Forest.
Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring are his assistants, Tony Harrington is the fourth official and Chris Kavanagh is within the VAR sales space.
10. Comply with the match with TIA
Everton vs. Liverpool is dwell on TNT Sports activities 1 from 11am (GMT), with kickoff at 12.30pm.
Harry McMullen is on This Is Anfield matchday dwell weblog obligation from 11.45am, in what may very well be a nerve-wracking 90 minutes for him to cowl.
An amber extreme wind warning has been issued by the Met Workplace for Merseyside for the complete day, with followers urged to permit for additional time and take care if heading to the match.
Come on you Reds!
