Liverpool welcome Everton to Anfield for the 289th Merseyside derby. Match comes with just one spot and three points in the Premier League table separating the two sides.
After a dramatic dip in form over the last two months, the champions have plummeted to sixth place. Liverpool dip in form has given their neighbors the opportunity to move level on points with them this weekend if they can end their long Anfield hoodoo.
So far this calendar year, the Reds have won just two of their eight top-flight outings. They have lost five of them-incredibly already suffering as many league defeats in 2021 as they did from 72 matches combined in both 2019 and 2020. Liverpool have now lost their last three. They are also winless in their last five after going 68 league games without defeat at Anfield, the second-longest unbeaten run of its kind in English top-flight history.
In Europe midweek, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane’s goals saw off a Leipzig side that was in good shape and flying high in the Bundesliga. It is now more than a decade after the Toffees claimed the bragging rights of the Merseyside derby. This century they still haven’t won at Anfield, last doing so in 1999.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side shared the spoils with Leicester, securing a dramatic 3-3 draw at Manchester United and winning at Leeds United at the time. However, there are now just five out of the last 18 on offer in terms of points on the board.
Liverpool will be without Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, James Milner and Diogo Jota. Meanwhile major absentees for Ancelotti would only be Mina.
Liverpool possible starting lineup: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Kabak, Henderson, Robertson; Thiago, Wijnaldum, Jones; Salah, Firmino, Mane
Everton possible starting lineup: Pickford; Coleman, Holgate, Keane, Digne; Doucoure, Allan; Rodriguez, Sigurdsson, Richarlison; Calvert-Lewin
