TEAM NEWS
Boss Jurgen Klopp says a number of unnamed players are nursing knocks following the midweek defeat by Paris St-Germain. Liverpool will be without captain Jordan Henderson, who is suspended after being sent off last weekend.
Everton manager Marco Silva has no new injury worries ahead of his first Merseyside derby. Ademola Lookman is in contention to make his first league start of the season.
MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES
@Guymowbray: The history, the stats, the crowd – everything seems against Everton for the 232nd Merseyside derby.
Well, not quite everything.
Marco Silva led Hull to a win over Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, and Watford to a thrilling 3-3 draw to start last season, and now takes his (much better) Everton side to Anfield in good form and heart.
They have a fighter’s chance of a first win there this century.
The Reds will be huge favourites though, with Klopp emphasising his readiness for a “different derby” immediately after Wednesday’s Champions League defeat in Paris.
From the start it’ll be fast. It might occasionally veer towards furious. In the Liverpool boss’s own inimitable words – “Go Go Go”.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: “Silva has the best squad [of all the Everton managers I have faced]. It is the best-tuned squad.
“Analyse Everton and then tell me it will be an easy game. It will be a proper fight but we expect that in the derby. That’s how derbies should be.”
Everton manager Marco Silva: “We will respect our opponents like we did against Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea. Fear is something that doesn’t come inside our dressing room. Respect, yes, but we don’t change anything in our way.
“We won’t change our ambition or style of play. It is important to enjoy the moment and be strong. We want to win the match and nothing more.”
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
Under Marco Silva, Everton are one of the most improved teams in the league – but his first Merseyside derby is a very different test for him.
It will be fast and furious, but I think Liverpool will win, and cure a bit of their hangover from their Champions League defeat against Paris St-Germain.
Prediction: 2-0
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- It’s the 100th league meeting between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield. The Reds have won 43, and the Toffees 23, with 33 draws.
- Liverpool are unbeaten in the last 15 league meetings with Everton (W6, D9), with their last defeat coming in October 2010.
- Everton’s last win at Anfield was back in 1999, when Kevin Campbell got the only goal in a match which saw three red cards.
Liverpool
- Liverpool are unbeaten in this season’s Premier League, and have 33 points, their highest ever tally at this stage of a Premier League season.
- They have won five of their six home games at Anfield in the league this season, with the goalless draw against Manchester City the only exception.
- Liverpool have conceded just one Premier League goal at Anfield this season – that came against Cardiff.
- Mohamed Salah could make his 50th Premier League appearance for Liverpool.
- Salah has scored 39 league goals for the Reds – only two players have netted more in their first 50 Premier League games for a single club: Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, who scored 41 for Blackburn and Newcastle respectively.
Everton
- Everton have lost just one of their last seven in the league.
- Their only away win this season was a 2-1 victory at Leicester in October.
- The Toffees conceded 11 times in their first six Premier League games under Marco Silva, but have only shipped four in the subsequent seven.
- Silva is aiming to become the first Everton manager since Joe Royle in November 1994 to win his first Merseyside derby in the Premier League; no Everton manager has ever won their first league match against Liverpool at Anfield.
Source: BBC News
