Liverpool head to Goodison Park for the last time on Saturday, as Everton look to dent their rivals’ Premier League title hopes.
Everton vs. Liverpool
Premier League (15) | Goodison Park
December 7, 2024 | 12.30pm (GMT)
The Reds could only draw 3-3 at Newcastle on Wednesday, as they saw their lead at the top of the Premier League cut to seven points.
Next up is the weekend trip to Everton, with a potentially emotional occasion seeing Goodison host one final derby unless the pair draw each other in the FA Cup.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of a huge game for Liverpool.
1. Key players still missing for Reds
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 5, 2024: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker arrives before the FA Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurt Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool picked up no new injury problems against the Magpies, but important players are still absent.
Saturday’s game will come too soon for Alisson, but the Brazilian is nearing a return all the time, which is a boost after Caoimhin Kelleher‘s late error at St James’ Park.
Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota are all still missing, but the latter is “close” to being back in the fold.
2. Mac Allister a big loss through suspension
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 4, 2024: Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool will also be without Alexis Mac Allister for the trip to Everton.
The World Cup winner picked up his fifth Premier League booking of the season at Newcastle, meaning he must serve a one-match ban.
Mac Allister is suspended for next Tuesday’s trip to Girona in the Champions League, too, affording him a breather in the next couple of matches.
Ryan Gravenberch is only one booking away from a ban of his own, while Dominik Szoboszlai is on three yellow cards in the league for the season.
3. Everton hit form just before derby clash
BURNLEY, ENGLAND - Sunday, February 13, 2022: Burnley's manager Sean Dyche during the FA Premier League match between Burnley FC and Liverpool FC at Turf Moor. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Everton had to go and find some form just before playing Liverpool, didn’t they?
The Blues’ won 4-0 at home to Wolves on Wednesday night, giving Sean Dyche some much-needed respite, amid doubts over his future.
It has still been an uninspiring season at Goodison, though, with Everton sitting 15th in the table and only five points above the relegation zone.
That said, Liverpool could clearly be playing their local rivals at a better time.
4. Potential Liverpool lineup
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 4, 2024: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal to make the score 2-3 during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool looked tired at Newcastle, especially in the first half, so it will be interesting to see how many changes Arne Slot makes.
The Girona game offers a much better opportunity to rotate, though.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will surely return in place of Jarell Quansah at right-back, with Joe Gomez partnering Virgil van Dijk, despite a poor night on Wednesday.
With Mac Allister out, Curtis Jones should sit deeper alongside Gravenberch, with Szoboszlai returning to the team.
Darwin Nunez didn’t offer enough in midweek, so Luis Diaz should start at centre forward.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.
5. Predicted Everton XI
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 21, 2023: Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Everton FC, the 243rd Merseyside Derby, at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The quickfire nature of this week’s fixtures doesn’t make life easy for Dyche, but a similar starting XI to the side that thumped Wolves is expected.
That would mean 39-year-old Ashley Young starting at right-back, which would have to be an area for Liverpool to target.
Meanwhile, Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil will provide the width in attack, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin leading the line.
Chermiti and Armanda Broja are long-term absentees for Everton, while Michael Keane is “touch and go” to be fit.
Possible Everton XI: Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure; Ndiaye, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin.
6. Slot confident about Kelleher’s mindset
Speaking in his pre-derby press conference, Slot spoke positively about Kelleher’s mental state, following his costly mistake:
“Unfortunately for Caoimh, in the position he’s in, if you make a mistake or misjudgement, it’s very difficult for someone else to cover it up for you.
“He’s done that a few times for us, if someone else makes a mistake he’s always there to help us.
“Unfortunately, we, as a team, are not able to help him if he misjudges a ball as he is the last player.
“I think he’s in a good place, although he is disappointed like all the others because we dropped points from a winning situation one minute before the end.”
7. Endless draws in Goodison derbies
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 3, 2022: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 241st Merseyside Derby, at Goodison Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It’s easy to assume that Liverpool have dominated this fixture, due to their home form in it, but they often find life tough at Goodison.
Last season’s 2-0 defeat still stings, and in fact, the Reds have only won there once in their last seven trips.
Five of those games have been draws, with three 0-0s along the way.
This highlights what a tricky task Saturday has the potential to be, and why Liverpool need to be far better than they were against Newcastle.
8. Did You Know?
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 4, 2024: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal to make the score 2-3 during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
If Mohamed Salah scores twice on Saturday, he will join Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s record scorer against Everton in the Premier League with nine goals.
At least a brace for him would also see him become the first Reds player in the Premier League era to score at least twice in three successive away games.
Salah is now just two goals away from joining Billy Liddell in joint-fourth place in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts.
He could be in the Reds’ three best players in history at this point, alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish and Gerrard.
9. Derby referee confirmed
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 16, 2023: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott (L) is shown a yellow card by referee Michael Oliver after celebrating with supporters after scoring the third goal during the FA Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Liverpool FC at Molineux Stadium. Liverpool won 3-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Michael Oliver will referee Saturday’s much-anticipated clash, with the 39-year-old seen by many as the leading official in the country.
Not that everyone thinks that!
Oliver’s only Liverpool game of the season so far was the shock 1-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest.
Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring are his assistants, Tony Harrington is the fourth official and Chris Kavanagh is in the VAR booth.
10. Follow the match with TIA
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 4, 2024: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal to make the score 2-3 during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Everton vs. Liverpool is live on TNT Sports 1 from 11am (GMT), with kickoff at 12.30pm.
Harry McMullen is on This Is Anfield matchday live blog duty from 11.45am, in what could be a nerve-wracking 90 minutes for him to cover.
Come on you Reds!