By Sam McGuire
The Merseyside derby presents Arne Slot’s side with the opportunity to, once again, move 12 points clear with just eight games left to play.
Everton have already dented their neighbour’s title hopes this season. They’ll be hoping to repeat the trick at Anfield on Wednesday evening.
Are the Liverpool wheels falling off?
Liverpool are unbeaten in the Premier League since September. They have the best home record in the English top flight with 11 wins from 14 matches and that sole defeat against Nottingham Forest. They’ve varied dominant showings with grinding out results when it matters. They’ve shown they have the resilience of champions.
Their healthy lead at the top should be enough to get them over the line and if they fail to lift the Premier League title in May, it will have been a dramatic decline never seen before.
All things point to the Reds claiming their 20th league title. But there’s something niggling away in the background.
The Reds lost back-to-back matches prior to the international break. Paris Saint-Germain, at Anfield, knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League on penalties. Newcastle United then ended a 70-year wait for a trophy by beating Slot’s men in the Carabao Cup final.
The last time Liverpool put in a performance of champions was back in February when they swept Newcastle aside at Anfield. The longer the poor performances last, the smaller their lead at the gap will become.
This is a big one for the Reds. Bigger than people realise.
Sticky Toffees
If you’re a glass half full type of person, you’ll say that Everton are unbeaten in six.
If you’re a glass half empty kind of person, you’ll point out the Toffees have just one win in their last six in the Premier League.
David Moyes’ side are draw specialists. They’ve drawn three of their last four 1-1. During this six game spell, they’ve also picked up two 2-2 draws – this includes the game against Liverpool at Goodison Park.
Everton have been difficult to beat. With a bit more quality in attack, a number of these draws would likely have been turned into wins. The Blues are without key attackers in Dwight McNeil, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Iliman Ndiaye.
Here’s the thing though, they don’t need a win at Anfield. Everton are well clear of the dropzone – 17 points to be exact. They aren’t going to claim a European spot either. They have the luxury of just existing for the final nine matches and ruining the hopes and dreams of other teams, starting with Liverpool.
If they avoid defeat, they, once again, dent Liverpool’s title hopes. And that will be seen as a win by the blue half of Merseyside.
Mo Salah farewell tour continues
Latest reports seem to suggest Salah is interested in moving to Saudi Arabia when his contract expires at the end of the season.
If this is to be his last campaign in the English top-flight, he’s going out on a high.
He’s currently tied for the most goal involvements (44) in a 38-game season and there are still nine matches remaining. He’s just three goal involvements shy of the all-time Premier League record of 47 (recorded by Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole back when it was a 42 game season).
The Liverpool No. 11 looks destined to shatter that record. He could also become the first player since Thierry Henry to record 20+ goals and 20+ assists in a single campaign. And he’s doing this at the age of 32 while his time at Anfield is supposedly winding down.
If this is to be his last Merseyside Derby, he’s going to want to go out on a high.
The battle of the injuries
Liverpool are without a host of defenders for this clash.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is still ruled out with an ankle injury. Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley are both missing with hamstring injuries, though the latter is back training but this game has, according to reports, come too soon for the Northern Ireland international.
Slot’s options are limited, so Jarell Quansah will likely operate as a makeshift right-back once again.
Everton, meanwhile, are without attackers. Calvert-Lewin, Ndiaye and McNeil will all miss out, meaning Moyes can’t exactly tinker with his final third options. Will he be able to put out an attack to trouble Liverpool’s weakened backline or will the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté be enough to nullify whatever Everton can put together?
Prediction
If Liverpool want to win the title, this is a game they have to win. They’re going to want to put in a good showing as a reaction to the disappointments prior to the international break, so we’re going with a 2-1 win for the hosts.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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