Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admits he is relieved that his side have the same amount of rest as Everton going into the 245th Merseyside derby.
The fixtures continue to come thick and fast for the Reds, with weekend fixtures constantly followed by midweek action.
Liverpool have had a particularly quick turnaround this week, with less than three days between the trips to Newcastle and Everton.
There was tiredness on show at St James’ Park on Wednesday evening, and speaking to LFCTV, Slot admitted that having one day less to prepare than the Magpies made it hard for his side.
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 4, 2024: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“Again, we had one day less to recover compared to our opponents,” Slot said.
“It was the same against City.
“If you can come up with such an impressive second-half performance where we came back from being 2-1 down to being 3-2 up one minute before the end, you feel a bit of disappointment if you go away with only a draw.”
Slot went on to discuss Saturday’s last-ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, in a crucial game for both Liverpool and Everton.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, December 1, 2024: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot (L) and Curtis Jones after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The Dutchman is buoyed by the fact that the Blues have had the same recovery time, having beaten Wolves 4-0 at home on Wednesday night.
“We can expect similar things to what we experienced tonight. The fans of Newcastle were really helping the team,” he added.
“The good thing for us is we have had just as much rest as the team we face.
“But it will probably be a similar style of play from Everton as Newcastle did in the first half.”
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game during the Premier League match at St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne. Picture date: Wednesday December 4, 2024.
Saturday’s trip to Goodison is going to be a massive test of Liverpool’s fitness and resolve, and in fairness, the same applies to Everton.
Expecting a quality-laden game is a big ask, considering there are only 63 hours between the midweek games and this clash kicking off.
It raises question marks about the schedule, and the general toll on players’ bodies in the modern game, with a Saturday lunchtime kickoff far from ideal.
Liverpool’s chances would be adversely affected if Everton had an extra 24 hours to prepare for the match, however, so there is no disadvantage for the Reds this time around.