Premier League: A Mersey Derby That Really Matters

Everton vs Liverpool

It’s been a heck of a long wait, but the Premier League is back on, and Sunday brings us a true classic, the Merseyside Derby.

Goodison Park will be eerily quiet when Everton and Liverpool come head to head, but the players will be up for the game and ready to do their fans proud, wherever they may be watching.

Manchester City’s opening match victory over Arsenal means this game is not a title decider, but it’s a mammoth fixture in any case. Three reasons:

SBOBET Premier League fans all know the Merseyside Derby is one of the biggest games in the calendar. Known as the ‘Friendly Derby’, Blues and Reds living in the same household will be stuck at home together for this match, while the virus is still in general circulation in the UK. The rivalry is certainly there. And let’s hope there aren’t too many mugs of tea flying across the room in the thousands of football-crazy households in Merseyside!

Liverpool fans have been waiting patiently over the past three months, when at times there were all sorts of rumours flying around regarding any potential restart, with a decent chance of the season being voided when discussions were underway in April. The Reds will be keen to avoid a wobble, particularly sparked by their local rivals. For sure they will win the title sooner or later, but a delay any longer than necessary will be unbearable for their fans who won’t believe it until it has happened.

Everton currently sit in 12^th place on 37 points, almost certainly safe and six points from a Europa League spot. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti has instilled a new confidence at Goodison Park after a couple of years of turmoil, and he knows how to succeed in high-pressure situations, which is exactly what the Premier League is over the final nine rounds. A decent run-in could see the Toffees grab a top seven place. And, of course, they would love to bloody their neighbours’ noses!

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Talking Points

Toffees injury concerns

While many teams have benefited from the break, in terms of player fitness, with extra time to recover from injuries, Everton come into this game with a few worries. Jean-Phillipe Gbamin has been plagued by injury since his £25m move from Mainz last summer and he has suffered another setback, while neither Theo Walcott nor Fabian Delph has been in full training since the return. That leaves Ancelotti short of options in midfield, though Andre Gomes, who suffered a horrific leg break in Everton’s match with Tottenham in November, could be set to return alongside Tom Davies.

The Everton vs Liverpool odds may have turned a little redder in light of the Toffees’ injury concerns, but it’s still 11 versus 11. And after the new boss plundered 17 points from his opening eight games in charge, before coming unstuck against Arsenal and Chelsea, he will be keen to get his European hopes back on track.

With each of the bottom three still to play, and if striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin can pick up where he left off, then the Toffees have a chance.

Liverpool can smash Manchester City’s record

The Reds are going to win the title sooner rather than later, and the visit of Crystal Palace on the 24^th June will likely be the date when their 30 year wait is finally over.

But the last thing they need right now is a defeat to the Toffees.

Jurgen Klopp’s side is already guaranteed a second place but they don’t want to even contemplate that horror. A 3-0 defeat to struggling Watford made the Premier League 2020 news headlines just before the break which, despite fans frustrations, may not have come at a bad time for the Reds. Influential goalkeeper Alisson has recovered from a hip injury he suffered in March, and as Liverpool have only dropped five points this season, they have a maximum total of 109 to aim for.

It would take a significant drop off in form to even miss the 101 target.

Alisson Becker is set to return to his spot between the sticks for Liverpool's Merseyside derby at Goodison Park — Alisson Becker is on course for successive Golden Glove awards after a record-breaking 21 clean sheets in 2018/19

History

Everton are hoping to end a ten year wait for a derby victory, but they have caused Liverpool problems at Goodison Park, drawing four of the last five, and only one match finished with more than one goal.

Both teams won only two from the last five before the break, with Liverpool exiting the Champions League and FA Cup as well as losing to Watford.

But this is like a Mersey derby on the opening day of the season, so form is out of the window.

Betting Tip

	Everton vs Liverpool	Under 2.50 goals @ 2.15
	June 22, 02:00 (GMT+8)

The Mersey derby may be friendly, but it’s often a cagey affair and with both teams back in action following a three month lay-off, it could take time to find a rhythm.

The Reds are still fancied at 1.65, with Everton at 5.50 and the draw at 4.10.

And if the Toffees manage to make another point against their illustrious neighbours then 1-1 at odds of 7.00 is the most likely score line.