A resurgent Everton host Liverpool within the Merseyside derby tonight, hoping to place a dent within the Reds’ Premier League title charge.
Arne Slot’s side sit top of the league with a six-point lead over second-placed Arsenal and may go nine clear with victory at Goodison Park tonight.
The fixture was originally set to happen in December but was postponed – and later rearranged – as a consequence of antagonistic weather conditions brought on by Storm Darragh.
Liverpool are hoping to get back to winning ways against Everton after they suffered a shock FA Cup fourth-round elimination to Plymouth on Sunday.
Everton are keen to avoid a second successive defeat too after they crashed out of the FA Cup at home to AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.
Despite their cup defeat, Everton have enjoyed strong form within the Premier League in recent weeks, winning their last three top-flight games against Tottenham, Brighton and Leicester respectively under David Moyes.
The identical is true for Liverpool – who’ve also won their previous three Premier League matches – with victories over Brentford, Ipswich and Bournemouth.
By way of team news, Liverpool defensive duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez are each doubts for the clash against Everton.
Alexander-Arnold limped off during Liverpool’s win over Bournemouth on February 1 – missing the Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg win over Tottenham – in addition to the FA Cup defeat to Plymouth.
‘Difficult to say,’ Liverpool head coach Slot said when asked if Alexander-Arnold could be back to face Everton.
‘Like I said before, it’s not going to take months, and never even weeks, but that’s only three days after the Plymouth Argyle game, so let’s wait and see if he’s available.’
Gomez, meanwhile, was forced off with injury after just 11 minutes against Plymouth on Sunday in his first game back since late December.
‘I’m not too sure if it was the identical leg, but I haven’t had time to ask him,’ Slot said about Gomez ahead of the clash with Everton.
‘It was clear, I believe everyone knows which moment he felt a bit insecure about [it] because he didn’t sprint back fully.
‘Then he said, ‘I’m not 100 per cent sure and I’m afraid if I make one extra sprint things will go fallacious’ – it’s not torn I assume, nevertheless it didn’t feel good for him.’
Slot also revealed that Curtis Jones was not 100 per cent fit on Sunday, although given he was named on the bench against Plymouth, it will suggest the difficulty isn’t too serious and he’ll have the option to face Everton.
Everton are coping with quite a few injury problems with Orel Mangala, Armando Broja, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dwight McNeil and Seamus Coleman all ruled out of the clash with Liverpool.
Predicted Liverpool XI to face Everton
Alisson, Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Diaz, Gakpo
Predicted Everton XI to face Liverpool
Pickford, Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Gueye, Garner, Alcaraz, Ndiaye, Beto, Lindstrom
Where to look at Everton vs Liverpool? Kick-off time and TV channel
Everton vs Liverpool kicks off at 19.30pm UK time on Wednesday, February 12.
Live coverage is on the market within the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. It’s also possible to live stream the Merseyside derby on discovery+.
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