Premier League leaders, Everton welcome Liverpool to Goodison Park in a blockbuster Merseyside derby as domestic top-flight football returns after the international break.
A win will keep the Toffees top of the league for another week whereas Liverpool can climb temporarily climb as high as second with victory.
Team News
Yerry Mina is expected to feature for Everton despite sitting out Colombia’s 2-2 draw against Chile with a thigh strain but will be subject to fitness tests.
Allan (adductor), Richarlison (ankle) and Seamus Coleman (hamstring) are also expected to be available but Lucas Digne (knee) could miss out after suffering a knee injury in France’s clash against Croatia on Wednesday evening.
Jonjo Kenny (ankle), Mason Holgate (toe), Jarrad Branthwaite (ankle), Jean-Phillipe Gbamin (Achilles) and Cenk Tosun (knee) remain on sidelines.
Liverpool will have Thiago Alcantara and Sadio Mane both available after the duo successfully completed self-isolation after positive Coronavirus tests.
Konstantinos Tsimikas (thigh) and Joel Matip (muscle) are also expected to feature but Naby Keita (Coronavirus) and Alisson (shoulder) join Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) in missing this Merseyside derby.
Stat Attack
- Everton are winless in their last 19 league meetings against Liverpool (D11, L8)
- Liverpool have won just one of their last eight league trips to Everton (W1, D7).
- Each of last three Merseyside derbies at Goodison Park have finished goalless.
- Three of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s six league goals for Everton have come from headers.
- Robert Firmino is the only non Liverpool defender to have produced an assist this season, creating two goals for his teammates from his striker role.
Prediction
Neither team enjoyed a strong defensive display last time out with goalkeeping howlers from both Jordan Pickford and Adrian respectively, although the latter was atrociously let down by his Liverpool defence who were absolutely clueless in how to defend against Aston Villa in a seven goal rout.
Jurgen Klopp therefore has work to do in order to get his back lines sorted and the international break definitely wouldn’t of helped whereas Everton just need to keep doing what they’re doing because it is working except for Pickford who ideally needs replacing by new signing Robin Olsen in this match.
We therefore have a cracking match on the cards between two attacking teams but I think’s Liverpool dominance in this fixture is about to receive a good jolt if they’re to sort themselves out after a defensively poor start to this season.
Prediction: Everton 2-1 Liverpool
Result: Everton 2-2 Liverpool