Sports Buddy looks at Everton vs Liverpool match preview, team news, possible lineup, and prediction.
Everton vs Liverpool: Match preview
Everton clinched a vital victory against Nottingham Forest, thanks to nearly identical strikes from Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil, both of which ricocheted off the inside of the post before finding the net. However, it wasn’t the goals that dominated the post-match discussions, but rather Nottingham Forest’s astonishing accusation against VAR official Stuart Attwell.
Moments after the referee’s final whistle, Forest made an unprecedented statement, alleging Attwell’s bias due to his supposed connections with Luton Town. They claimed that despite warning the PGMOL about Attwell’s affiliations, they were still denied three clear penalty appeals during the game at Goodison Park.
While Forest vented their frustrations, Everton quietly celebrated their second win in three Premier League outings, a result that propelled them five points clear of the relegation zone, landing them in 16th place.
The upcoming Merseyside derby at Goodison Park carries significant implications for both ends of the Premier League table. Everton’s rivals, Liverpool, secured a 3-1 victory against Fulham without any controversy. Meanwhile, Sean Dyche’s Burnley secured a 2-0 win over Forest, setting the stage for an eventful aftermath.
Although Everton’s Premier League status remains precarious, they hold a crucial game in hand over Forest, Luton, and Burnley. Notably, Everton’s recent form at Goodison Park has been marked by defensive solidity, with their last 11 home league victories all coming with clean sheets. However, they face a challenging statistic, having failed to win any of their last 22 top-flight matches at Goodison Park when conceding, suffering defeat in 17 of those instances.
Liverpool’s recent struggles in the Europa League quarter-finals against Atalanta BC culminated in a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Anfield, dashing their hopes of advancing further in the competition. Despite securing a narrow victory in Bergamo, their lackluster performance on home turf sealed their fate in European competition this season.
Transitioning back to Premier League action, Liverpool faced a formidable Fulham side, known for their strong home record. The match began challenging for the Reds as Timothy Castagne equalized Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick, but second-half goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota secured a crucial victory for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
With Manchester City occupied in the FA Cup semi-finals, Liverpool’s triumph marked their first Premier League away win since early March, propelling them to second place in the league standings, albeit behind Arsenal on goal difference. However, City’s game in hand keeps the title race wide open, with the crown still within the reigning champions’ grasp.
Liverpool’s clinical performance against Fulham provided a refreshing change for their supporters, following a string of wasteful displays in previous matches. Notably, the Reds have maintained an impressive scoring streak in away Premier League fixtures, extending to 20 matches since their last goalless outing against Chelsea in April of the previous year.
Before Nottingham Forest’s contentious statements over refereeing decisions, Everton found themselves aggrieved by a controversial call in their October encounter with Liverpool, where Ibrahima Konate avoided a potential sending-off. The Toffees’ struggles against their local rivals continued as they failed to score in their last four meetings.
Everton vs Liverpool: Team News
Everton’s recent victory over Nottingham Forest was marred by a concerning head injury to Beto, who required oxygen as he was stretchered off the field during added time. Despite the alarming scene, Beto managed to acknowledge the supportive crowd with a thumbs-up, offering some relief amid the distress.
Manager Sean Dyche provided an update indicating positive initial signs regarding Beto’s condition. However, the goalkeeper will be sidelined for the upcoming derby, joining Lewis Dobbin (ankle), Dele Alli (groin), and Nathan Patterson, whose thigh injury has dashed his hopes of representing Scotland in Euro 2024.
Seamus Coleman remains unavailable due to a groin issue, but Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin overcame their fitness concerns to feature from the start against Forest. While Branthwaite did sustain a slight knock, he is expected to be fit for the upcoming derby clash.
On the Liverpool side, the absence of Joel Matip (knee), Ben Doak (knee), Thiago Alcantara (muscle), and Conor Bradley (ankle) continues. Manager Jurgen Klopp revealed that Diogo Jota, Liverpool’s most clinical finisher statistically, will be sidelined for two weeks due to a hip problem sustained after scoring against Fulham.
Stefan Bajcetic was once again missing from the matchday squad as he works on regaining match fitness following a calf concern. Klopp may have opted for tactical reasons to omit him, as he had the luxury of reshuffling his midfield for the recent victory over Fulham. Bajcetic has since featured for the Under-21s as part of his recovery process.
Klopp’s rotation also saw Mohamed Salah relegated to the bench against Fulham, but the Egyptian forward is expected to return to the starting lineup for the upcoming derby, particularly
Everton vs Liverpool: Possible lineup
Everton vs Liverpool possible lineup according to Sports Mole:
Everton
Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Onana, Gueye, McNeil; Doucoure; Calvert-Lewin
Liverpool
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Everton vs Liverpool: Prediction – Everton 1- 2 Liverpool
Everton’s goal drought against Liverpool may be set to break against a Reds defense that hasn’t been particularly strong in 2024. However, if Liverpool can maintain their streak of scoring in every Premier League away game this season, it could spell trouble for Dyche’s team. Despite some key players only appearing in the second half, Klopp’s team easily defeated Fulham. With a return to a full-strength lineup at Goodison Park, the title-contending Reds are expected to once again assert their dominance and claim victory.
