Liverpool v Everton: Line-ups, stats and preview
The lowdown on Liverpool v Everton in the Premier League
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Liverpool v Everton match preview
In their perfect five-match start to the season, three of Liverpool’s winning goals have come during second-half added time – but the last team to score a decisive last-gasp goal against them were Everton, who the Premier League leaders host on Saturday.
Defender James Tarkowski fired in an emphatic 98th-minute equaliser in the last Merseyside derby at Everton’s former Goodison Park home in February, settling a 2-2 draw in which Curtis Jones, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Arne Slot and assistant Sipke Hulshoff were dismissed after the final whistle.
“There will probably be games where we need a goal in the last minutes and we don’t score,” said Slot, whose side have taken the lead after the 82nd minute in all four of their league games, beating Bournemouth and Arsenal at home and Newcastle and Burnley away.
“What I can assure you is that even if we don’t score it, we will try to push for it. You’re never 100 per cent sure [of succeeding], but what I do know is we’re so fit that we’re able to push one more time.”
In the first full season of David Moyes’s second spell, Everton have hit encouraging form since losing their opener 1-0 at Leeds United.
A 0-0 draw at home to Aston Villa last Saturday was their third clean sheet of an unblemished defensive record at their Hill Dickinson Stadium and part of a four-match unbeaten run, also featuring wins at home to Brighton & Hove Albion and away to Wolves in the top flight and a 2-0 EFL Cup victory against League One visitors Mansfield Town.
“He wants us right at the top half of the table and pushing up there,” Tarkowski said of Moyes, speaking to Everton TV.
“He showed us what we need to do to do that – the number of goals and points we need. He set his stall out and now it’s up to us to go out there and do it over the season.”
Liverpool v Everton team news
British-record £125 million signing Alexander Isak made his debut for Liverpool as a starter in their 3-2 home win over Atletico Madrid in their Champions League opener on Wednesday, when Virgil van Dijk scored the 92nd-minute winner.
The 25-year-old, who was the second-top scorer in the Premier League to the Reds’ Mohamed Salah last season, was replaced by Hugo Ekitike in the 58th minute.
Curtis Jones did not feature but has returned to training following an unspecified injury, with Slot expecting the midfielder to be in contention for the derby.
Playmaker Alexis Mac Allister started the 1-0 win at Burnley and came on at the same time as Ekitike against Atleti, having been substituted at half-time against the Clarets following a heavy challenge by Lesley Ugochukwu that left the Argentina international requiring treatment on an ankle.
Andy Robertson started against Atleti and could retain his place, having replaced Milos Kerkez during the first half at Burnley after the left-back was booked for diving and risked a second caution with a late challenge.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite is continuing his recovery from a hamstring injury and left-back Vitalii Mykolenko could return, having missed the draw with Villa after pulling out of international action with Ukraine.
James Garner may continue to deputise for Mykolenko if required, while midfielder Merlin Rohl will hope to make his full debut, having come on as a 66th-minute substitute for Tim Iroegbunam.
Full-backs Adam Aznou (ankle) and Nathan Patterson (hernia) were unused substitutes on their returns to the matchday squad following injuries.
Liverpool v Everton predicted lineups
Liverpool starting XI: Alisson Becker, Jeremie Frimpong, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Alexander Isak
Everton starting XI: Jordan Pickford, Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, James Garner, Iliman Ndiaye, Idrissa Gueye, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tim Iroegbunam, Jack Grealish, Thierno Barry
Liverpool v Everton TV channel, live online stream
Kick-off on Saturday is at 12:30 BST / 07:30 ET / 04:30 PT. Live coverage in the UK is on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.
TNT Sports costs £29.99 a month through discovery+, which includes Eurosport and entertainment and is available on a vast range of devices including smart TVs and gaming consoles.
Liverpool v Everton stats
- In 8 of the last 10 Liverpool matches the sum of goals was over 3.5
- In 8 of the last 10 Liverpool matches the sum of goals was over 2.5
- In 4 of the last 5 Liverpool home matches the sum of goals was over 4.5
- In 5 of the last 7 Liverpool matches the sum of goals was over 4.5
- In 7 of the last 9 Liverpool home matches the sum of goals was over 2.5
- In 12 of the last 14 Everton away matches in the Premier League, the sum of goals was under 3.5
- In 11 of the last 13 Everton matches the sum of goals was under 3.5
- In 5 of the last 7 Everton away matches in the Premier League, the sum of goals was under 1.5
- In 7 of the last 9 Everton away matches in the Premier League, the sum of goals was under 2.5
- In 5 of the last 6 Everton matches the sum of goals was under 2.5
Liverpool v Everton prediction
Everton have not won at Anfield in front of a crowd since 1999 and are considerable underdogs to continue their promising form this time, but there are good reasons to take the long odds on a draw despite the hosts’ daunting attacking prowess.
Bournemouth scored twice at Anfield and were on course until the 88th minute for a point, which also almost proved the reward for an Atleti team who have made an uncertain start domestically.
The Toffees have avoided defeat in six of the last 11 editions of the fixture and have rarely looked as solid entering the fixture, making a 1-1 draw conceivable.