Liverpool vs Everton Preview: Form, Team News & Prediction | OneFootball

One of the most heavily anticipated fixtures in the Premier League calendar pits Liverpool and Everton against each other for the 212th time in English football league history.

Arne Slot and David Moyes locked horns in a postponed last month for the final Merseyside derby instalment at Goodison Park, and it was a thrilling contest.

Goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah had Liverpool set for success after Beto’s early opener, only for James Tarkowski’s 98th-minute equaliser to steal two points for the Toffees.

Despite that morale-wracking result, the Reds are on course to lift their 20th title in England’s top flight, boasting an unassailable 12-point lead on runners-up Arsenal with nine games to go.

Another draw could be in store this Wednesday, considering it’s been a common theme in Everton’s recent league outings, with each of the last four ending level.

Goodison erupted as Jake O’Brien notched a last-gasp equaliser to rescue a point for the Toffees in a 1-1 home stalemate against West Ham United just before the international break.

That result extended Everton’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to nine matches (W4, D5) and probably stretched the division’s second-longest continuous presence to one more year.

Runaway leaders running out of steam

March’s international break came at an opportune moment for Liverpool, handing Slot a fortnight to rally his troops after back-to-back upsets in different competitions.

Paris Saint-Germain shockingly halted the Reds’ Champions League run in the round of 16, overturning a slender first-leg deficit in England to progress on penalties.

A 2-1 loss to Newcastle United in the League Cup final added insult to injury, denying the Dutch manager his first trophy in charge of the Anfield powerhouse.

However, it’s only a matter of time before he climbs to the Premier League podium, with Liverpool enjoying a memorable first league campaign in the post-Jurgen Klopp era.

Except for a 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest in September, they’ve gone unbeaten in all 26 remaining top-flight outings (W21, D7), including three two-goal margin wins in a row ahead of this fixture.

Toffees reborn

Moyes’ appointment in January has proved a turning point for Everton, turning a downtrodden side into one of the division’s most formidable opposition.

Already 17 points clear of 18th-placed Ipswich Town, the Toffees shall no longer worry about their top-flight status and can instead focus on laying the foundation for the future.

Everton’s form resurgence under the veteran manager has also lifted their away performances, with the visitors undefeated across their last four Premier League travels (W2, D2).

However, that record will be under imminent threat at Anfield, where they’ve lost their last three league matches against Liverpool via an identical 2-0 scoreline.

Connoisseurs of action-packed football fear another low-scoring affair could be the order of the day, not least because Everton’s last seven away league games have featured under 2.5 goals.

Team News

Conor Bradley, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez will play no part in this iconic fixture, while Liverpool will be sweating over the fitness of Ryan Gravenberch, who pulled out of the Netherlands squad.

The same goes for star goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who had to come off due to a suspected concussion suffered while playing for Brazil against Colombia.

On the other hand, Everton will take this crosstown trip without Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while Vitaliy Mykolenko faces a race against time to put himself at Moyes’ disposal.

However, Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil are back to full fitness and will be in contention for the starting line-up.

Prediction

Despite enjoying their longest unbeaten run in the Premier League since February 2010, Everton could be out of their depth at Anfield.

Liverpool head into proceedings having netted 2+ goals in 12 consecutive home league games and likely add to that tally.