Liverpool – Everton
A little prestige, a lot of tradition and a rivalry that promises plenty of emotion: on Wednesday evening, Liverpool will host city rivals Everton in the 241st Merseyside derby. The Reds, led by their new coach Arne Slot, are comfortably leading the Premier League and now have a twelve-point lead over Arsenal. Everton, under former manager David Moyes, are fighting to avoid relegation in the bottom half of the table and are in 15th place with 34 points. Liverpool suffered a minor setback in the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle, while the Toffees repeatedly show offensive problems – even if Darwin Núñez is now in the headlines with a new hairstyle. The last direct duel was just seven weeks ago and ended in a 2-2 draw at Goodison Park on February 12.
Liverpool – Everton Info
- Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
- Date and Time: 02.04.2025, 21:00
- Competition: Premier League
Liverpool form & record check
Liverpool are brimming with confidence at the moment. With 70 points, they are clearly on course for the championship, and their recent league performances underpin this claim. Victories against Southampton (3-1) and Newcastle (2-0) demonstrated the Reds’ formidable defense: they are compact, rarely allowing dangerous situations to arise, and making lightning transitions after winning the ball back. Mohamed Salah remains the linchpin in attack, while Luis Díaz is increasingly making the difference.
It is interesting to note that Liverpool have perhaps deliberately opted for a tactic of seeking control in the first half and then stepping up a gear in the second: in none of their last five games have more than 1.5 goals been scored before half-time, whereas Liverpool have been much more effective after the break. In about 80% of their most recent matches, the Reds have scored in the second half. However, they have lacked consistency in cup competitions: both the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties and the 2-1 loss to Newcastle in the League Cup showed that Liverpool can still be vulnerable.
Coach Arne Slot now prefers a 4-2-3-1 system, which is likely to be used in the derby against Everton. The line-up in attack is particularly exciting: Jota could start in front of Núñez, although the latter has recently attracted attention with his new look. In midfield, Mac Allister and Elliott should provide stability.
However, Slot will have to do without some of his regular players due to injury. Trent Alexander-Arnold is out with an ankle injury, while Ryan Gravenberch is also unavailable. Joe Gomez and Tyler Morton complete the list of concerns. Tsimikas and Robertson will probably work the left side together, with Tsimikas able to operate more offensively.
Everton Form & Record Check
Everton’s situation is complicated: Although David Moyes’ team have now gone five games unbeaten, only one win has come from this streak, with four draws. In the last game against West Ham, O’Brien’s equalizer only came in injury time – a typical example of a team that plays robustly but rarely scores decisive goals.
Offensively, Everton regularly manage to score at least one goal, but concede just as reliably. With 34 points in 15th place, the situation is anything but comfortable. The only really successful performance in recent weeks was the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace. Although Everton can keep up with the bigger teams, they have often lacked the necessary efficiency for a win in recent games.
David Moyes is also likely to field a 4-2-3-1 at Everton, although the absence of Mykolenko (hamstring injury) forces a change in defense. Patterson, O’Brien, Tarkowski and Branthwaite are expected to form the back four in front of keeper Pickford.
In midfield, Gueye and Garner are expected to keep things organized defensively, while Harrison, Alcaraz and Doucouré could provide impetus going forward. With Calvert-Lewin out with a hamstring problem, Beto is likely to take up the role in the center forward position. Injuries to McNeil and Ndiaye also limit Everton’s options in offense, so Lindstrøm and Broja may be planned as substitutes.
Liverpool – Everton head-to-head comparison & statistics
The head-to-head comparison in the last five Merseyside derbies is even: two wins for Liverpool, one for Everton and two draws. The most recent clash in February 2025 (2-2) once again highlighted the tendency for these encounters to be low-scoring but always fiercely contested. As a result, four of the last five games have stayed under 2.5 total goals, and there have usually been fewer than 1.5 goals before half-time.
Everton entered the derby history books in April 2024 with a 2-0 home win, after Liverpool had previously won 2-0 twice. One thing is clear: goals are in short supply in this fixture, and both teams tend to hold back, especially in the second half. As a result, the tension remains high – but a real shootout is not to be expected.
