David Moyes has won just six of his 44 matches against Liverpool in his career as a top-flight manager
For Everton boss David Moyes, Anfield has become the stuff of nightmares.
The experienced Scottish coach has failed to win a single match there in 20 attempts across managerial stints at Everton (twice), West Ham (twice), Manchester United and Sunderland - drawing six and falling to defeat in the other 14 visits.
It’s one of the most feared venues for most sides in English football, and it’s long been an unhappy hunting ground for numerous Everton managers, with the likes of Sean Dyche, Frank Lampard, Rafa Benitez, Marco Silva, Roberto Martinez, Sam Allardyce and Ronald Koeman all failing to win a single match there throughout their time with the club.
The last manager to achieve the feat of winning in front of the Kop was Carlo Ancelotti during the 2020/21 season. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions no fans were actually in attendance to see that one, meaning Blues supporters have to go all the way back to 1999 when a Kevin Campbell goal in a scramble secured them their last win in person at Anfield.
Moyes will be keen to try and end that record when he takes his Blues team to the champions this weekend, and it’s worth noting that his side will have significantly more time to prepare for the encounter, with Liverpool taking on Atletico Madrid in the Champions League mid-week.
But can Everton end their torrid run at Anfield this weekend? Here we take a look at why there could be some cause for optimism heading into the match.
David Moyes has re-ignited the spirit of The Blues
Everton extended their unbeaten run to four matches across all competitions and in truth were the vastly superior side in their most recent 0-0 draw with Aston Villa at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. I
t means Everton are currently sixth in the table at this early stage with seven points from four matches, a positive goal difference of plus two, and a feeling of optimism after Jack Grealish became the first Toffees player to win the Premier League Player of the Month award since Dominic Calvert-Lewin in September 2020.
Grealish has recorded four assists in as many matches since joining the Blues, and is currently the most creative player in the entire league, with five goal-creating actions, according to Fbref.
The Blues have also recorded the third most attacking take-ons of any team in the division and are looking like a much more expansive unit, with Grealish and Dewsbury-Hall both adding further flair and quality to a team that already contained Iliman Ndiaye and Beto.
Slot O’clock strikes again but it’s only a matter of time before Liverpool get caught out
Liverpool are top of the table with four wins from four matches - making them the only team in the Premier League to still have a 100 per cent start. However, the champions are yet to hit their stride in terms of performance levels, despite a record-breaking summer of spending which has seen them add the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike among others to their title-winning squad.
Perhaps it’s a case of simply needing time to gel new players together, and while it’s a good sign that Liverpool are still picking up wins during this period, the manner of their performances and particularly their frailties at the back could be something that Everton look to expose.
Liverpool were beaten in the Community Shield by Crystal Palace after twice squandering their lead, and allowed Bournemouth to get back into the contest despite having a two-goal lead before winning the fixture 4-2.
They were outplayed during the second half against 10-man Newcastle United at St James’ Park and dropped a two-goal lead once again, despite the Magpies playing without a recognised striker, and needed a 100th minute goal by teenager Rio Ngumoha to secure them the points in the last kick of that thrilling 3-2 win.
The Reds left it to the 83rd minute to score the winner against Arsenal in a dour encounter at Anfield and were gifted a 95th minute penalty against Burnley at Turf Moor to scrape through the contest against a stubborn and resilient Clarets backline.
Overall, it shows that Liverpool’s psychological strength and never-say-die attitude is currently getting them through matches as opposed to their overall performances. However, if there’s one area Everton could look to exploit it’s Liverpool’s high-line and their current susceptibility to being caught on the counter attack with transitions.
Burnley almost had a few openings during their match against the Reds last time out, and it’s clear that Everton possess a high calibre of player in the final third when it comes to playing a killer pass, beating a defender and testing the opposition goalkeeper.
It’s almost certain to be a tough task for the Blues - and one which will require an almost perfect defensive performance, especially if Alexander Isak is given his league debut. However, there’s certainly a feeling that this might not be the worst time to come toe-to-toe with their fierce city rivals.
Burnley have shown the way as Liverpool can be frustrated by teams sitting deep - but crucially Everton have the forward players to exploit the space that would be left if the Toffees opted to sit back and pick their moments.
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