Liverpool travel to Goodison Park to face Everton in Saturday's Merseyside derby
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Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Paul Merson and Chris Sutton believe Liverpool will have too much quality for Everton when the teams meet in this weekend's Merseyside derby.
The Reds will look to maintain their seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League on Saturday and return to form after a disappointing 3-3 draw at Newcastle United on Wednesday night. Everton, meanwhile, head into the final edition of the fixture at Goodison Park off the back of a 4-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers three days earlier.
But despite Everton's four-goal flurry in midweek, Merson is backing Liverpool to bounce back from their recent disappointment by securing a historic 2-0 win at Goodison Park. Writing in his Sportskeeda column, Merson said: "This would be the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, what an iconic venue it's been in the Premier League. Everton got a great result against Wolves on Wednesday. I never thought they would get four goals in a game this season! That win puts them in a good position, but this is a tough game.
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"Liverpool dropped points against Newcastle and cannot afford to do the same again on Saturday. The Everton fans will always make it difficult for them. But it helps Liverpool that Everton beat Wolves quite comfortably in the last game. Everton will now turn up thinking they have a chance and have a swing at Liverpool. This will help Arne Slot's team pick them apart in my opinion
"The league leaders looked a bit jaded in midfield during that 3-3 draw at Newcastle. Curtis Jones came in for Dominik Szoboszlai but Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch got no rest. Newcastle's midfield also had a good mixture of power and guile, with Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton playing there. As such, it is no surprise that Liverpool were a bit outplayed in midfield
"Newcastle thoroughly deserved that draw and their performance is a blueprint for everyone trying to stop Liverpool this season. But even when they were not at their best, Liverpool still scored three goals away from home and that's not something many teams in the world can do. Mohamed Salah always turns up when needed and he did that, a proper big game player.
"I don't understand why Slot did not play Trent Alexander-Arnold from the start though. He showed his class after coming on. You could say the manager was protecting him for the Merseyside derby. But I think he should have been in the starting line-up.
"Everton must score first if they want to get a result in this game and the only way they can do that is through set-pieces in my opinion. I can't see them troubling Liverpool otherwise and I expect the visitors to secure all three points at Goodison Park."
Sutton, too, is in agreement with Merson and believes the attacking prowess of Arne Slot's side will be too much for Everton to handle.
Predicting a 2-1 for Liverpool, Sutton wrote in his BBC Sport column: "Liverpool let victory slip away right at the end of their game with Newcastle on Wednesday, with Caoimhin Kelleher's mistake proving costly.
"But he has been excellent for them while Alisson has been out injured and I don't think a draw at St James' Park is a bad result.
"Everton come into this game in better form following their win over Wolves, which was a huge result for Toffees boss Sean Dyche after the run they were on.
"They can definitely make things difficult for Liverpool, and I suspect they will be fairly direct when they attack, but Arne Slot's side should have too much quality for them."