Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool squad are struggling and there’s no denying that they need to turn things around with a positive outcome. This is a crucial time, with the Champions League set to return, but their immediate focus must be the second Merseyside derby of the season and regaining their place in the top four.
It’s unimaginable for Liverpool supporters that their team is currently 10th in the Premier League standings, 11 points away from securing a Champions League spot. While they do have a game in hand, they will need to step up their game if they want to close the gap. Their home record in the Premier League is impressive with a 6-3-1 record at Anfield.
In recent times, Liverpool has only managed to win one of their last seven matches across all competitions, and their disappointing performance has resulted in their elimination from both domestic cups, unlike last season where they won both. The situation in the Premier League is even more dire, with the team losing three out of their last four league matches and scoring just one goal during that time. Their struggles have been especially pronounced while playing away from home, but they did manage to secure draws in their last two home matches against Wolves and Chelsea.
There’s some good news for Liverpool, as Fabinho is expected to be back after overcoming an illness. Meanwhile, Virgil Van Dijk, Thiago, Roberto Firmino, and Diogo Jota have returned to training and among these players, Thiago and Jota are most likely to feature in the upcoming Monday match. Ibrahima Konate is expected to return to training next week and may play a part in the next Premier League match.
Liverpool Last 5 Results
❌ 04/02/23. 16:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers – Liverpool 3 : 0 (2 : 0) (1 : 0) Premier League
❌ 29/01/23. 14:30 Brighton and Hove Albion – Liverpool 2 : 1 (1 : 1) (1 : 0) FA Cup
➖ 21/01/23. 13:30 Liverpool – Chelsea 0 : 0 (0 : 0) (0 : 0) Premier League
✅ 17/01/23. 20:45 Wolverhampton Wanderers – Liverpool 0 : 1 (0 : 1) (0 : 0) FA Cup
❌ 14/01/23. 16:00 Brighton and Hove Albion – Liverpool 3 : 0 (0 : 0) (3 : 0) Premier League
Everton
Although a new manager can bring about a positive change in a team, it was not anticipated to be the case for Everton with Sean Dyche at the helm. Surprisingly, the team managed to defeat Premier League leaders Arsenal last Saturday, boosting the confidence of Everton fans as they prepare for the Merseyside derby.
Despite their victory over Arsenal, Everton remains in the bottom three, but they have risen to 18th place in the Premier League table and are now just one point away from safety. The situation may change by the time the derby kicks off, as it is the last match of the weekend. Nonetheless, Sean Dyche has brought new life to the team and their morale is high. Everton’s away record stands at 1-4-5.
Before their surprising win over Arsenal, Everton had suffered four consecutive losses in all competitions and now they aim to overcome their struggles on the road. Although they managed to secure a draw against Manchester City on New Year’s Eve, they have lost six of their eight recent away games in all competitions, including both matches played since the draw at the Etihad Stadium.
There are concerns regarding the availability of Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin for this weekend’s game, while Nathan Patterson will require a few more days to recover from a long-term issue.
Everton Last 5 Results
✅ 04/02/23. 13:30 Everton – Arsenal 1 : 0 (0 : 0) (1 : 0) Premier League
❌ 21/01/23. 16:00 West Ham United – Everton 2 : 0 (2 : 0) (0 : 0) Premier League
❌ 14/01/23. 16:00 Everton – Southampton 1 : 2 (1 : 0) (0 : 2) Premier League
❌ 06/01/23. 21:00 Manchester United – Everton 3 : 1 (1 : 1) (2 : 0) FA Cup
❌ 03/01/23. 20:45 Everton – Brighton and Hove Albion 1 : 4 (0 : 1) (1 : 3) Premier League
Head to head
When Everton and Liverpool faced each other earlier this season at Goodison Park, the match ended in a scoreless draw.
Liverpool has been dominant in their recent encounters against their local rivals at Anfield, winning five of their last six matches there.
Premier League
03/09/22, 13:30 Everton – Liverpool 0 : 0 (0 : 0) (0 : 0)
24/04/22, 17:30 Liverpool – Everton 2 : 0 (0 : 0) (2 : 0)
01/12/21, 21:15 Everton – Liverpool 1 : 4 (1 : 2) (0 : 2)
20/02/21, 18:30 Liverpool – Everton 0 : 2 (0 : 1) (0 : 1)
17/10/20, 13:30 Everton – Liverpool 2 : 2 (1 : 1) (1 : 1)
TWV Sport Team Thoughts
Football is a unpredictable sport and it’s remarkable how a single outcome can alter the overall mood around a club.
This appears to be the case for Everton, following their 1-0 victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal in Sean Dyche’s debut as manager. The win was well-deserved and not a fluke, giving Everton fans more reason to believe that their team can avoid relegation, compared to the past three months where the club’s performance had been lackluster.
The absence of new signings during the January transfer window continues to be a source of worry, and the win over Arsenal has come with a cost, as striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin may be unable to play in this Merseyside derby. Everton’s hopes of avoiding the bottom three largely rely on Calvert-Lewin’s ability to stay healthy for the rest of the season.
Despite this, the win last weekend has given Everton a boost heading into the second Merseyside derby. They are in a better state of mind compared to Liverpool, who have conceded three goals in their last three Premier League away games, with the 3-0 loss to Wolves being particularly concerning.
Match Result Prediction
✅ Liverpool to win.
Score Prediction
Liverpool 1 – 0 Everton
