BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Goodison Park Date: Sunday, 28 October KO 13:30
TEAM NEWS
Everton are hopeful Marouane Fellaini (knee) will be fit for Sunday’s Merseyside derby.
Tony Hibbert could return from a calf injury but the Toffees are without Steven Pienaar, who serves a one-match ban for his sending-off against QPR.
Liverpool will check the fitness of Pepe Reina, who is back in training after a hamstring injury.
But Glen Johnson should be fit after coming off at half-time against Anzi Makhachkala.
MATCH PREVIEW
The 219th Merseyside derby. It’s tempting to leave it there, because this is an occasion that speaks for itself.
I’ve been lucky enough to attend several, and none have disappointed. Even when the game itself hasn’t matched the excitement of the build-up, the atmosphere has more than made up for it.
The sides’ respective starts to the season would have made Everton clear favourites a month or so ago, but there have been signs since that the Brendan Rodgers way is slowly having a positive effect at Anfield.
After successive 1-0 wins over Reading and the mega-rich Russians, Anzhi Makhachkala, the Reds come into the derby in good heart, with Rodgers emphasising the “progress, right the way through” that he’s seen as his squad gets accustomed to the way he wants them to play.
Raheem Sterling has particularly caught the eye, and Liverpool’s matchwinner of last weekend now has the chance to become the youngest derby goalscorer of modern times. If he nets at Goodison aged 17 and 325 days he’ll beat Danny Cadamarteri’s record by nearly seven weeks.
In a game that’s so often ‘won and lost’ in midfield, Everton will miss Steven Pienaar after his unlucky dismissal at QPR last Sunday. His partnership with Leighton Baines has been superb this season and, whoever fills in, the team’s threat down the left might not be the same.
The overall form book still favours the Toffees, who’ve lost just one of their last 17 home games and only one of 17 league games anywhere. The history guide goes Liverpool’s way with seven wins in the last 11 top-flight meetings, losing one. They’ve also won four of the last five Goodison games.
It’s Brendan Rodgers’ first derby and David Moyes’ 24th, joining the great Harry Catterick in managing Everton against Liverpool in 11 successive seasons.
Armed with all those pointers, I’ll go for…..no, I wouldn’t be so foolish.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
This will be the 219th Merseyside derby – Liverpool have 87 wins, Everton 66 wins, with 65 draws.
Everton have won just one of the last 11 Premier League meetings with Liverpool (W1, D3, L7).
There have been 20 red cards in this fixture during the Premier League era – six more than any other fixture in the division.
Everton
The Toffees have lost just one of their last 17 Premier League matches (W9, D7, L1) – September’s 2-0 defeat by West Brom.
David Moyes has won just four of his 23 meetings with Liverpool in all competitions (13 defeats). All of those victories were at Goodison Park.
Everton have hit the woodwork 10 times in the league this season, more than any other team in the Premier League.
But they have scored 15 goals in eight games – their best tally at the equivalent stage of any Premier League season.
Liverpool
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last three Premier League games (W2, D1), marking their longest run in 2012.
The Reds are looking to register back-to-back league wins for the first time since December 2011.
They have kept clean sheets in each of their last two games – the first time they have managed consecutive shut-outs since February.
This will be Brendan Rodgers’s first Merseyside derby in charge of Liverpool – he lost both games against Everton as Swansea manager last season.
BBC Sport
