Liverpool vs. Everton | Premier League | Pre Match
Liverpool vs. Everton
Liverpool and Everton are set to reignite their fierce Merseyside rivalry as they face off in the second derby of the season at Anfield on Wednesday night, a Premier League clash that carries immense weight for both sides despite their contrasting fortunes. The previous encounter in February at Goodison Park ended in dramatic fashion, with James Tarkowski’s jaw-dropping 98th-minute equalizer securing a point for Everton in what was a fittingly emotional farewell to the Grand Old Lady before their move to a new stadium. That late strike sent shockwaves through the Liverpool camp, momentarily halting their relentless march toward the title, but in the broader context, it has done little to derail Arne Slot’s juggernaut. Liverpool remain perched atop the Premier League table, a commanding 12 points clear of a stumbling Arsenal, their dominance underscored by an extraordinary record at Anfield, where they have not tasted defeat in the league since a shock loss to Nottingham Forest on gameweek four. Since that early setback, the Reds have turned their home ground into an impregnable fortress, racking up 17 wins and two draws across 19 subsequent league matches, a run that has fueled their pursuit of a second title in five years. The February derby may have exposed a rare vulnerability, but Liverpool’s historical stranglehold over Everton at Anfield—where they’ve won all seven of the last derbies played in front of fans and remain unbeaten in 26 such encounters this century—suggests that Wednesday’s showdown could follow a familiar script, with the hosts poised to assert their supremacy once more.
The backdrop to this fixture is markedly different from what it might have been just a fortnight ago, when Liverpool’s fanbase was gripped by despair following a torrid week that saw their treble dreams crumble. A midweek Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield, followed by a gut-wrenching EFL Cup final defeat to Newcastle United at Wembley, left Slot’s side reeling, their ambitions reduced to a solitary focus on the Premier League crown. The PSG loss, in particular, stung deeply, ending their European campaign in the last-16 and snapping a proud home record, while the Newcastle defeat dashed hopes of a domestic cup double. Even their last league outing against Southampton at Anfield was far from convincing, with the Reds laboring to secure the points, yet their lead at the summit remains unassailable. This resilience is a testament to Slot’s meticulous management, which has kept Liverpool on course despite the occasional wobble. Offensively, they’ve been relentless at home, scoring at least twice in their last 15 domestic matches on Merseyside soil, a streak that bodes ill for an Everton side that, while improved, has historically struggled to cope with Liverpool’s firepower in this fixture. The Merseyside derby has not seen Liverpool fail to win at least one of its two league meetings in a season since 2010-11 (excluding the behind-closed-doors 2020-21 campaign), and with Anfield’s raucous atmosphere set to amplify their advantage, the Reds will fancy their chances of extending that record, even against an Everton team buoyed by a newfound resilience under David Moyes.
Everton, for their part, arrive at Anfield transformed from the relegation-haunted outfit of recent years, their nine-game unbeaten run in the league—the longest since February 2017—offering a stark contrast to the chaos that once defined their season. Moyes, back at the helm, has engineered a remarkable turnaround, banishing relegation fears for a second consecutive campaign and instilling a steely resolve in a squad that had previously flirted with disaster. In just 10 games under his stewardship, Moyes has amassed 17 points—a haul that surpasses the entire seasonal tallies of the current bottom three—earning him an 11th Premier League Manager of the Month award in February. Yet, the Toffees’ form has dipped slightly of late, with four consecutive draws following a last-gasp victory over Crystal Palace, their performances against Wolves and West Ham United drawing criticism for a lack of cutting edge. Draws have become a defining feature of Everton’s 2024-25 campaign, accounting for 45% of their results (13 out of 29 league games), the highest such proportion in the club’s history. While this penchant for sharing the spoils reflects their newfound stability, it also highlights a struggle to convert resilience into victories—a flaw that could prove costly against a Liverpool side that rarely squanders opportunities at home. For Moyes, a point at Anfield would be a triumph, given his dismal personal record of nine straight losses on this ground and a winless streak spanning 19 Premier League visits, the longest such run by any manager against a single club in the competition’s history.
The February derby at Goodison underscored the fixture’s volatility, with Tarkowski’s late heroics followed by post-match fireworks as Abdoulaye Doucouré and Curtis Jones were sent off for clashing after the whistle, pushing the Merseyside derby’s all-time Premier League red card tally to 25—second only to Chelsea vs. Manchester United (27). That fractious encounter also cemented its status as one of the league’s most frequently drawn fixtures, with 26 stalemates, though a repeat seems unlikely given Liverpool’s Anfield dominance. Everton’s spirited display in that game hinted at their potential to frustrate Liverpool, but Goodison has often been a more favorable hunting ground for them than Anfield, where they’ve been routinely outclassed. Moyes will lean on his team’s defensive solidity and counter-attacking threat to defy the odds, but the task is Herculean—Liverpool’s attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and one of Diogo Jota, Luis Díaz, or Darwin Núñez (despite recent criticism of their form) is likely to test Everton’s backline relentlessly. Federico Chiesa’s EFL Cup final goal may not earn him a start, but Liverpool’s depth ensures they remain a formidable proposition, even as injuries begin to bite at right-back, where Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, and Conor Bradley were all absent for the Wembley loss. Ryan Gravenberch and Alisson, who withdrew from international duty, are expected to return, bolstering Slot’s options for this crucial clash.
Everton, meanwhile, are finally seeing light at the end of an injury-plagued tunnel, with Moyes piecing together a stronger XI as the season nears its climax. Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil are back in training, though neither is likely to feature, leaving Carlos Alcaraz, Jesper Lindstrøm, and Jack Harrison to vie for the wide roles flanking Doucouré, who will start despite his red card in the reverse fixture. Vitalii Mykolenko’s thigh injury from international duty makes him a doubt, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin remains out, though Armando Broja’s recent return—capped by two appearances for Albania—adds competition to Beto up top. These returning players offer Moyes flexibility, but overcoming Liverpool’s home juggernaut will require more than a patched-up squad—it demands a near-perfect performance. As the stakes rise, with Liverpool chasing the title and Everton aiming to cement their mid-table resurgence, this derby promises intensity and drama, though the historical weight of Anfield’s dominance tilts the scales heavily in the hosts’ favor.
