Everton head into the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday with renewed belief in the fixture, following last season’s 2-0 win over Liverpool. Add the return of David Moyes to the Everton dugout and nine points from his first twelve games to the equation and Everton can head into the match on Wednesday with belief of giving the old lady the derby send off she deserves.
It won’t be a simple task however, Liverpool sit atop the Premier League six points clear of Arsenal, with Wednesday’s match their game in hand over the gunners following December’s postponement of this fixture. Everton will also have to overcome the disappointment of Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round defeat to high-flying Bournemouth.
Everton head into the match in 16th place. A win for the Toffees would propel them to 13th above northern rivals Manchester United, a far reach from the looming threat of relegation Everton faced under former manager, Sean Dyche.
Goodison Park has witnessed 119 derby matches between the two sides, with both teams chalking up 41 wins, meaning Wednesday’s game is winner takes all.
Everton’s injury list makes for chilling reading, with the possibility of eight first team absentees for Wednesday. Vitalii Mykoleko missed Saturday’s FA Cup defeat with a calf injury, while Nathan Patterson also missed the match with a tight hamstring. Everton will be without strikers, Armando Broja, Youssef Chermiti and last season’s match winner Dominic Calvert-Lewin. In midfield, Belgian loanee Orel Mangala is one of the long-term injuries with Dwight McNeil, and captain Seamus Coleman will miss out with a calf issue.
For Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold is in doubt with a thigh problem he picked up in the Reds 2-0 win over Bournemouth.
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