Liverpool v Everton: Monday 13 Feb, 2023. KO 20:00 BST
LIVERPOOL V EVERTON
This derby bears all the hallmarks of a struggling Merseyside.. Both teams are down in the depths desperately seeking valuable points.. Everton are a manager down although the new one started well last week..
Liverpool are really struggling.. Shipping goals for fun and our top goalscorer since the World Cup is a Leicester defender.. Which is one staggering stat in itself.. Sure injuries have played a part but we still have quality to put on the pitch..
Derbies are derbies though.. Form and league positions go out the window in these games. Both teams will be up for it and quite literally anything can happen.. These games have sometimes been cagey with the odd goal snatching it.. You wouldn't expect that this time round..
Quick Stat Check Both teams have won once in their last six games.. Everton have lost four.. We have lost three.. Which leaves two draws for us and one for the toffees.. Everton shipping twelve goals and ten went in our net in them six games..
The away fixture finished 0-0 earlier in the season with chances for both.
LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS
Team News for the reds is getting much better with tweets this week from Diaz & Jota regards returns.. Remarkably Arthur was seen on the training pitch which is good news as we were after a midfielder.. Plus at 26 he's not too old and may stake a claim as he certainly has a pedigree..
So lets run through the players out and potential return dates for your calendars.. Diaz - Knee (11 March), Konate - Thigh (21 Feb), Arthur - Thigh (25 Feb), Bobby - Calf (18 Feb), Virg - Thigh (18 Feb)..
Fabs - Illness, Thiago - Hip.. & Jota - Calf are all in contention for squad selection and could easily feature in the starting 11.. Although Jota will more than likely start on the bench..
EVERTON
Everton are without Keane, Townsend & Patterson for the trip to Anfield.. There will be late fitness tests for Calvert-Lewin & James Garner so you'd think their starting line up will be similar to the team that faced Arsenal..
They looked invigorated against the league leaders last time out and deserved their 1-0 win.. So they should turn up with a little more confidence under the new manager
DANGERMAN
Calvert-Lewin.. He looked really sharp against Arsenal aided by the added ammunition from the wings.. He could've scored a couple and will be a handful..
LIVERPOOL TEAM
Ali, Trent, Joe, Matip, Robbo, Bajcetic, Hendo, Harvey, Mo, Nunez, Gakpo
THE GAME
This is a game that could go literally anyway.. Like every game since and a little before the World Cup you wait to hear the line up Klopp and his team picks..
Last time out against Wolves you didn't feel to worried although the midfield still feels weak. Thiago was signed for his displays as a holding midfielder and hasn't got the legs or assist creativity to play left or right of the three in there..
Equally Keita looks ok but he doesn't fill the holes when needed to defend and again doesn't create anything. Plus he wants out and is running his contract down.. So how he gets in against one of our best players in young Harvey begs a question..
There are similarities here of when Can & Widj left.. They were played week in week out and had the sights set on other teams with 6 months to go.. We need a midfield that is gonna fight to get us out of this mess and that is a big part of winning this match.
A midfield that protects the defence and allow us to attack and chip in with some goals too.. The forward line needs to gel and with Diaz & Jota not far away this should fire them up a bit too
Defensively Nat Phillips would be a great shout for this one. Another who wears his heart on his sleeve like Harvey but we will see. The line up will shed light on what we can expect.
Everton will be up for this so we will have to be compact and resolute from set pieces in particular..
PREDICTION: 2-1 to them mighty reds
If we can stay strong at the back you'd think we should start firing again.. Especially at home under the lights.. Things have to turn sooner or later but you wouldn't rule out an Everton goal. They could shoot at the corner flag and will deflect in off Nunez from the half way line..
Our luck has been awful all season.. If we aren't gifting goals they are going in off various parts of our players bodies..
Saying that we have enough quality and don't become a bad team over night so we could score at any time..
OUR DANGERMAN: Harvey Elliott.. Our little magician can step in and step up to drag this team back to winning ways.. With assists and goals in his locker he will be vital in this game..
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