Liverpool will be aiming to keep the pressure on Manchester City in the Premier League title race when they face bitter rivals Everton at Anfield this weekend.
Liverpool will be hoping to cut down the gap at the top of the Premier League table to one point when they lock horns with local rivals Everton at Anfield on Sunday afternoon at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have done marvellously to put Manchester City under intense pressure in the title race. They even briefly went to the top of the standings after defeating Manchester United 4-0 at Anfield earlier this week. However, the Cityzens have since picked up two wins against Brighton & Hove Albion and Watford, opening up a four-point lead.
With just six games left in the season, Liverpool cannot afford a slip-up. Their UEFA Champions League commitments make things trickier for Jurgen Klopp’s men, and they will need all hands on deck to keep their hopes of a quadruple burning brightly.
Meanwhile, Everton find themselves at the other end of the league table, perilously close to the relegation zone. The Toffees are just one point clear of 18th-placed Burnley but have a game in hand to widen that gap, although they will need to pull off an upset against their Merseyside opponents on Sunday.
After a run of three losses in all competitions, Frank Lampard’s side are undefeated in their last two matches, beating Manchester United 1-0 before eking out a last-ditch draw against Leicester City. They will need to play out of their skins to stand a chance of coming away with a positive result from Anfield on Sunday.
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
Liverpool have a nearly full-strength squad for the clash against Everton. Roberto Firmino is the only doubt for the game due to an ankle issue. Considering that Jurgen Klopp has plenty of options in attack, he is unlikely to risk the Brazilian on Sunday.
? @AXA Training Centre
Time to get ready for Sunday’s Merseyside derby ?
#LIVEVE pic.twitter.com/sdzSDZT2zT— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 22, 2022
The manager could make one or two changes to the side that started against Manchester United, keeping an eye on the UEFA Champions League semi-finals against Villarreal on Wednesday.
Ibrahima Konate could get a starting berth in defence against Everton, with Joel Matip making way. The rest of the backline should stay intact as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Robertson are expected to hold on to their places while Alisson Becker guards the goal for Liverpool.
Thiago Alcantara could be given a break by Klopp following his heroics against Manchester United in order to keep him fresh for the Villarreal clash. Naby Keita should replace the Spaniard, lining up alongside Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in the centre of the park for the home team.
Mohamed Salah should continue in attack as he will want to build on his performance against Manchester United, where he ended his recent dry patch in front of goal. Luis Diaz, too, should continue in attack, with Sadio Mane likely to be given a breather by the manager. Diogo Jota should come into the side in place of the Senegalese international.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Jota, Diaz
Everton
Frank Lampard has several injury concerns to contend with ahead of the short trip to Anfield. Star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been sidelined with a new injury problem, while January loan signing Donny van de Beek is also unavailable along with Andre Gomes. Nathan Patterson, Andros Townsend and Tom Davies are long-term absentees.
? | The boss says Donny van de Beek and Andre Gomes will miss #LIVEVE through 'small injuries'.
Watch live: https://t.co/2ZTXIUSEba pic.twitter.com/CFANiwArRw
— Everton (@Everton) April 22, 2022
Everton have been playing in a 4-3-3 formation in recent games and could look to continue in the same setup against Liverpool, with Jordan Pickford lining up between the sticks as usual.
Seamus Coleman, who was a standout performer against Leicester, ought to continue at right-back, while Ben Godfrey is likely to shift out to left-back to quell the threat of Mohamed Salah. Michael Keane and Yerry Mina should form the centre-back pairing.
The defensive line will seek protection from the central midfield duo of Allan and Fabian Delph. Alex Iwobi will continue in his new central role from where he will look to provide the attacking impetus. Anthony Gordon and Demarai Gray will carry a threat from the wide areas as they look to supply the chances for Richarlison, who needs to be more clinical in front of the goal than he was in midweek.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Mina, Godfrey; Allan, Delph, Iwobi; Gordon, Richarlison, Gray
Key Stats
- Liverpool have lost only one of their last 25 games against Everton in all competitions – a 2-0 defeat in this Premier League fixture last season.
- Everton have won just six points on the road in the Premier League this season, the worst tally for any top-flight side.
- Liverpool have tasted defeat in only one of their previous 25 matches in all competitions (W19, D5).
- Everton forward Richarlison has scored three and set up two of Everton’s last seven Premier League goals.
- Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah has scored 30 goals in all competitions in 2021/22. He is just one goal short of the last campaign’s overall total.
Player to Watch
Luis Diaz
Gary Neville on Luis Diaz:
“It’s utterly depressing. Oh my god, what a player he is. His tenacity, his pace, his skill, his spirit and he’s cost not a lot again. They’ve found another one. They’ve got 5 genuinely world class forwards.” [Sky] pic.twitter.com/lNSugcFxNU
— The Anfield Talk (@TheAnfieldTalk) April 19, 2022
The Colombian international has been an exceptional addition for Liverpool, arriving from FC Porto during the January transfer window. Luis Diaz has settled in so well at Anfield that it almost seems like he has been a part of the team for years already. His pace, directness and ability to breeze past defenders, coupled with his productivity have already made him a vital part of the Reds’ setup.
Diaz played a key role in the dismantling of Manchester United in midweek and has registered four goals and two assists in 17 games for Liverpool. He will again be a major threat to an Everton defence that has struggled all season.
Prediction
Liverpool 3-0 Everton
Liverpool were in a rampant mood last time out as they put Manchester United to the sword and could do serious damage to another bitter rival in Everton this weekend. The Toffees have shown some improvement of late but remain perilously close to relegation. They had to rely on an injury-time equaliser to salvage a point against Leicester City last time out.
Frank Lampard’s men have been poor defensively and lack the clinical edge, while their form away from home does not inspire much confidence either. Expect Liverpool to cruise to an easy victory at Anfield and keep another clean sheet in the process.
