Liverpool need a response after defeat in Europe, and they're backed to do just that and extend their good recent record against Everton.
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1pt Liverpool win and over 2.5 goals at Evens
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It's always a massive game but the 232nd Merseyside derby got a little bit bigger after Liverpool's damaging Champions League defeat in Paris turned up the pressure a bit more on Jurgen Klopp.
As the Reds have a tough test in Europe attentions now turn to the league and with Man City flying they can't afford a slip-up against improving neighbours Everton, who finally look on the right road under Marco Silva.
Everton have long been underdogs in this fixtures, as Liverpool's record 17-game unbeaten run shows, and even with cash being splashed at Goodison they've not made the short trip across Stanley Park with any serious belief of earning a first league win at Anfield since 1999.
It may be too soon in Silva's tenure to expect the Toffees to try and go toe-to-toe with Liverpool, especially at Anfield, but with the likes of Richarlison, Sigurdsson, Andre Gomes and Bernard they have real quality to try and hurt a home side that will no doubt have some mental scars to shake off from Paris.
Klopp will have his Reds fired up though and determined to bounce back immediately, and nothing focuses the mind like a local derby. There are enough good players on show for this to be the best quality derby game in some time, but with their defence and home record behind them Liverpool have to be fancied.
Betting guide
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Everton (Sky Bet odds: 15/2)
Much will depend on how confident Silva feels but odds are he'll try and negate strong Liverpool start and then try and build into the game, and there's enough in his team to find a goal even against Liverpool's defence. A decent game's expected but we've been waiting for Liverpool to find somewhere near their best form and this could be just the game for them.
Best bet: Liverpool win and over 2.5 goals at Evens
There's a decent amount of confidence about the home win and there should be plenty of anger about the Liverpool performance, Everton have enough ammunition to get goals and if they come out to play then that should lead to plenty of chances at both ends.
Goals: Xherdan Shaqiri 2+ shots on target at 9/4
Shaqiri has looked Liverpool's most lively player at times this season, regardless of when he comes onto the pitch. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him start on Sunday and he's never afraid to take a shot on regardless of the circumstances.
RequestABet: Over 2.5 goals, Salah to score, 11+ match corners & 20+ bookings each at 9/1
Salah's record at Anfield is incredible and the stats package here is conservative, apart from the corners, which there could be plenty of given the players involved on both teams.
Liverpool v Everton Opta stats
- This is the 232nd meeting between Liverpool and Everton in all competitions – the Reds are unbeaten in each of their last 17 matches against the Toffees (W8 D9).
- Everton are winless in 18 Premier League trips to Anfield against Liverpool (D9 L9) since a 1-0 win in September 1999.
- This will be the 100th top-flight Merseyside derby played at Anfield – Liverpool have won 43 to Everton’s 23, with 33 draws.
- Liverpool’s current run of 17 matches without defeat against Everton in all competitions is their longest ever unbeaten run against their rivals.
- Although there have been more red cards awarded in this fixture than any other in Premier League history (21), there have only been two awarded in the last 16 meetings, both to Everton; Liverpool haven’t received a red card in this fixture since February 2010.
- Liverpool remain unbeaten in the Premier League this season (W10 D3), while their record of just five goals conceded is their fewest at this stage of any of their 115 English league campaigns.
- Everton have won just one of their last 51 Premier League away games against the other five ever-present sides in the competition (D18 L32), beating Man Utd 1-0 in December 2013.
- Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in 10 of their last 11 Premier League home games, conceding only against the league’s lowest away scorers this season (Cardiff).
- Marco Silva is looking to become the first Everton manager since Joe Royle in November 1994 to win his first Merseyside derby in the Premier League; no Everton manager has ever won their first league match against Liverpool at Anfield, stretching back to their first meeting in November 1894.
- Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has never beaten Everton’s Marco Silva in the Premier League in two previous meetings (W0 D1 L1) – Silva remains the only manager the German has faced more than once without winning in the competition.
- Among current Premier League players, only Harry Kane (7) has scored more Premier League goals against Everton than Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge (6).
- Mohamed Salah could make his 50th Premier League appearance for Liverpool in this game. He’s scored 39 goals for the Reds – only two players have ever scored more in their first 50 for a club in the competition (Alan Shearer 41 for Blackburn and Andy Cole 41 for Newcastle).
