TEAM NEWS
Everton are expected to welcome back midfielder Andre Gomes, who was rested for the win at Cardiff.
Leighton Baines is the Toffees’ only absentee with the rib injury that has ruled him out for a month.
Liverpool are hopeful that Roberto Firmino will be fit to return from the ankle problem that caused him to miss Wednesday’s victory against Watford.
Defender Dejan Lovren could be back in contention when Liverpool host Burnley next weekend.
MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES
@Guymowbray: It’s impossible to measure, but there shouldn’t be any underdogs more fired up to upset the odds by winning their Premier League fixture this weekend than Everton.
Closing in on eight-and-a-half years since their last derby win; the chance to derail their rivals’ title charge; the hurt of losing so desperately late on at Anfield in December – Marco Silva’s men may be chewing raw, red meat already!
Liverpool’s own motives are obviously clear enough, and they’ll be hungry too, having shaken off the frustrations of a few draws with their biggest win of the season on Wednesday.
One near guarantee – this will be a better watch than last season’s overshadowed goal-and-card-starved Goodison game.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Everton manager Marco Silva: “First we must be ourselves, to believe in ourselves. Of course it’s a long time without a win for us as a football club – that means it’s a difficult match.
“I didn’t see a big difference [between the sides] when I managed my first Liverpool derby. If we can perform the way we did [then] in December it will be very good, because we were very close to winning the match. In that match we deserved something more.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: “The Everton fans don’t want us to win anything and probably for our fans it’s the same.
“In the game it’s very emotional and passionate, and I hope it’s like that again. That’s how football should be.
“At Goodison they really support their team so let’s go there and use the atmosphere because it will be loud, it will be wild, and we have to deliver on the pitch.”
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
If Everton are gritty and approach the game thinking they want to take a point at the very least then I can see them getting some joy.
Prediction: 1-1
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- This becomes only the second fixture to be played 200 times in the top flight, after Everton against Aston Villa.
- The Toffees are winless in the past 18 meetings in all competitions (D9, L9), their longest run without a Merseyside derby victory.
- Everton’s most recent Merseyside derby win was 2-0 at home in the Premier League in October 2010.
- Liverpool have scored five 90th-minute winning Premier League goals against Everton, a competition record against a single opponent.
Everton
- Everton’s win at Cardiff arrested a run of three losses, and eight league defeats in 11.
- They can secure back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since October.
- The Toffees are winless in 24 league matches against established top-six teams since beating Manchester City 4-0 in January 2017 (D6, L18).
- Gylfi Sigurdsson’s brace at Cardiff meant he became the highest-scoring Icelandic player in the Premier League with 57 goals, overtaking Eidur Gudjohnsen on 55.
- This is just the third time in Premier League history that two different Everton players have scored 10 or more league goals in the same season. Sigurdsson has 11 and Richarlison 10.
Liverpool
- Liverpool’s return of 69 points is already more than their total tally in 16 Premier League seasons.
- The seven previous sides to have amassed 69 points after 28 games have won the league title.
- Their 5-0 win against Watford was just a second victory in five Premier League games, having drawn the other three.
- The Reds have conceded a league-low eight away goals this season.
- Mo Salah has scored 49 goals in 64 Premier League games for Liverpool. A goal in this game would make him the quickest player to score 50 goals for one club in the competition’s history.
- Sadio Mane’s 14 Premier League goals is his best return for a single campaign. He has scored six goals in his last six league games.
- Jurgen Klopp is unbeaten in seven meetings with Everton in all competitions (W5, D2). Only Bob Paisley (10) and David Ashworth (8) have enjoyed a longer unbeaten start against the Toffees.
