Everton make the short trip across Stanley Park from the banks of the River Mersey to take on Liverpool in the 247th Merseyside derby.
The Toffees head to Anfield in buoyant mood, though tinged with frustration, following Saturday’s goalless draw with Aston Villa.
Everton had the best of the chances and possession, but a combination of poor finishing, great goalkeeping and bad decision-making cost them dearly.
It felt like the kind of performance we’ll regularly see this season, as it highlighted the team’s
strengths and weaknesses. In Jack Grealish, Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, they have a creative front three capable of creating chances – but the absence of a clinical striker means there’s no guarantee they will be converted.
And when the opposition double up – or even treble up, like Villa did with Grealish – the lack of proper attacking full-backs means any threat can be snuffed out. That’s not to say Jake O’Brien and James Garner played badly, but you can tell they are not naturals in that position.
That might seem overly picky, though, after collecting seven points from four games and progressing in the cup. Saturday’s game, however, will be the toughest test by far. Everton’s awful record at Anfield is well known, with only one win this century – and that came during Covid. But they’re also taking on a Liverpool side who walked the league last season and spent around £400m over the summer.
The cherry on top is that the Reds have won all four league games this season thanks to winners that all arrived after the 83rd minute – two of them deep into stoppage time – continuing a theme from last season where they can play poorly yet still dig out victories.
Previous meeting
Everton 2-2 Liverpool, 12 Feb 2025
Arguably the final great Goodison moment, James Tarkowski’s thunderous volley earned Everton a dramatic point in the final derby – and final night game – at the Grand Old Lady.
It was the least Everton deserved on a boisterous night in L4, with Beto putting the Toffees ahead before Alexis Mac Allister levelled a few minutes later. Everton had the better of the second half and did not deserve to fall behind through Mohamed Salah, but Tarkowski’s dramatic intervention – confirmed following a lengthy VAR check – sent Goodison rocking.
Team news
David Moyes says Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitaly Mykolenko are “making progress” but would not confirm whether either would be involved on Saturday.
Myklenko has made just two appearances this season as he battles a muscle problem. Branthwaite has not feature at all because of a hamstring injury and it seems unlikely he will be thrown in here.
Moyes says there are a “few knocks” elsewhere but would make a call after training on Friday afternoon.
Final word
We always head to Anfield more in hope than expectation, but this time it at least feels like the team has enough of an attacking threat to avoid spending the whole game encamped on the edge of the area. Liverpool haven’t played particularly well so far either – but Everton will still need a large dollop of luck to get anything.
