Match Preview: Everton vs. Liverpool

Liverpool will travel across Stanley Park to face their local rivals Everton on Saturday, in what is English football’s most played fixture.

The Merseyside Derby is always a tough tackling game

The game at Goodison Park on Saturday will be the 216^th in all competitions between the two neighbouring teams and promises to be a fast paced, heavy tackling affair. Everton, who have the home crowd advantage, will be looking for a third successive Merseyside Derby without defeat, as they picked up a 2-0 win in this same fixture last season and also managed a 2-2 draw at Anfield. The Toffees have only lost one home game in the Premier League since November and the Reds haven’t won an away game outside of London since March.

Although being strong in front of their own fans, David Moyes’ men lost their first game of the season at home to Premier League new boys QPR. Having built up an unbeaten run of five games in all competitions, the Blues succumbed to a 2-0 defeat last weekend at the hands of Manchester City. Liverpool, on the other hand, have bounced back from two straight defeats, to two straight victories and will be aiming to keep their rivals from leap-frogging them in the table on Saturday’s encounter, by producing a memorable away win.

Kenny Dalglish has a few tough team selection decisions to make as he faces his first trip to Goodison Park as Liverpool manager for 20 years. With Luis Suarez firing on all cylinders, the tricky Uruguayan will be guaranteed a starting place, however the likes of Craig Bellamy, Dirk Kuyt and Andy Carroll will all be hoping to partner El Pistolero up front. In the game against Brighton, Bellamy and Kuyt showed creative link up play with Suarez and the three of them can prove a real danger to any defence. Carroll played the full 90 minutes against Wolves last week and looked sharper than he has in recent games, perhaps spurred on by seeing his fellow teammates playing so well together.

With fit again Steven Gerrard likely to play a part in the derby, Dalglish faces another dilemma, whether or not to start his captain in an already very talented midfield. In a game with so much pride and bragging rights at stake, it is one that local hero Gerrard will want to be very much involved in from the start, but Dalglish has insisted they will not rush the skipper back into action. If Gerrard does start, new boy Jordan Henderson could find himself demoted to the bench in order to make way for the fan’s favourite. In recent games, Henderson has found himself starting ahead of the likes of Dirk Kuyt, who was so inspirational for Liverpool at the end of last season and who always guarantees the team 100%. Kuyt is facing his own battle to earn a starting place on the right side of midfield, with the former Sunderland player, who is still only 21.

Daniel Agger returned to training for the Reds this week following his injury, but it could be too soon for a return to action for the Dane. Glen Johnson has also returned to training following his hamstring injury and could be in contention for a place in the squad. Martin Kelly has played well in recent games, so Dalglish may well opt for the young local lad and take time easing Johnson back in.

The home team will be hoping their fiery Australian midfielder, Tim Cahill, will have recovered from a bruised shin that he picked up against Manchester City last weekend. David Moyes has only one major long-term absentee on his books, with Victor Anichebe out with a groin injury. Everton may keep the same back four that looked strong for a lengthily spell of the game against City last week, before conceding. Tony Hibbert, Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka and Silvain Distin have looked settled at the back this season and with Phil Neville, Jack Rodwell and Marouane Fellaini also in the team, they will prove difficult for the Liverpool attack to break down. It is likely, if Cahill plays, that he will be playing out of position, up front on his own, so Moyes will again pack his team with defensive options to provide support, as he prepares for the attacking onslaught of Kenny Dalglish’s team. 

Predicted Line-ups:

Everton: 24 Howard, 2 Hibbert, 3 Baines, 6 Jagielka, 15 Distin, 18 Neville, 23 Coleman, 17 Cahill, 21 Osman, 25 Fellaini, 26 Rodwell

Subs: 1 Mucha, 5 Heitinga, 7 Bilyaletdinov, 10 Drenthe, 8 Saha, 11 Stacqualursi, 27 Vellios

Liverpool: 25 Reina, 34 Kelly, 23 Carragher, 37 Skrtel, 3 Enrique, 26 Adam, 21 Lucas, 19 Downing, 18 Kuyt, 8 Gerrard, 7 Suarez

Subs: 32 Doni, 16 Coates, 38 Flanagan, 20 Spearing, 14 Henderson, 39 Bellamy, 9 Carroll

You can watch the 216^th Merseyside Derby between Everton and Liverpool on Saturday 1^st October, live on Sky Sports 2 and HD2 from midday.


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