Football betting tips: Merseyside derby
1pt Everton/Draw on double chance at 15/8 (Sky Bet)
1pt Richarlison to score anytime at 9/2 (General)
Liverpool v Everton
- 17:30 GMT on Sky Sports Premier League
- Match odds: Home 4/9 | Draw 18/5 | Away 6/1
These two sides go into the Merseyside derby having experienced differing results in midweek. Liverpool secured a great victory away 'at' Leipzig (in Budapest), while Everton became the latest victim to Manchester City's recent dominance as they were beaten 3-1 at Goodison Park.
That win over Leipzig may give Liverpool some confidence, and just how much do they need that. Before that Champions League encounter, they had lost five of their last seven games in all competitions. That was a run that included three defeats at home.
Anfield is no longer the fortress it used to be, Klopp's side are now without a win in five and this could well be Everton's best chance of waiting that 22-year wait for a victory across Stanley Park. Even with the win in midweek, there is some reluctance to take Liverpool at very short odds.
Everton may have lost their last two but their away form is superb. They are unbeaten in their last seven on the road, five of which were wins and that includes trips to Leicester and Manchester United. The Toffees are 4th in the Premier League away standings. Liverpool may be 2nd for home games, but their form over the past ten games in the league puts them 16th in that form chart.
That home position is helped by their dominate showings at Anfield. That feels like a distant memory now and Everton, who typically don't perform well in this fixture, may now actually have their chance to strike. We can look at the history, but the recent showings are too important to ignore, as is the 15/8 on EVERTON OR DRAW ON THE DOUBLE CHANCE.
Everton should welcome their main striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin for this game after a week on the sidelines. "Calvert-Lewin, I think, can start," Carlo Ancelotti revealed in his pre-match press conference. He will be a key figure for the Toffees in attack.
However, one player who has seen improvement in recent weeks is RICHARLISON. He was sent off in the meeting at Goodison Park, perhaps the perfect motivation to make things right with a goal here, and the forward did net in the loss to Manchester City (although we should acknowledge it was more of a deflection).
That said, he was in the right position for a rebound and Richarlison did score twice in the recent FA Cup win over Tottenham. I'm sticking with the prediction that the second-half of the season will be much better than the first and there is some confidence that his scoring touch is back.
It's a surprise to see odds of 9/2 available with multiple bookmakers on a Richarlison goal here considering he has three in his last two outings. This Liverpool defence remains far from full strength and far from settled and Everton, with seven goals in their last three away games, should be able to capitalise.
With the red card taking the headlines it's easy to forget that he did hit the woodwork in the last Merseyside derby too. The odds on a goal are a little too big given form, and his goal could be crucial for an Everton side looking to finally end that long wait for a win here.
Score prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Everton (Sky Bet odds: 14/1)
Liverpool v Everton best bets
- Everton/Draw on double chance at 15/8 (Sky Bet)
- Richarlison to score anytime at 9/2 (General)
Odds correct at 2100 GMT (18/02/21)
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