Everton vs Liverpool preview, H2H, team news, line-ups and prediction

Liverpool travel to Goodison Park to face Everton in the 294th Merseyside derby on Wednesday, as they look to continue their title challenge. 

Despite a few setbacks in recent weeks that have seen the Reds drop five points from their last three Premier League matches, the Reds’ title hope is not over as they sit in second place in the Premier League table.

With 74 points amassed from 33 matches played so far this season, Jürgen Klopp’s side are on equal points with first-placed Arsenal and one point above third-placed Manchester City who have a game in hand.

This season’s Premier League title challenge will likely go the distance until the final day of the season, and more interesting is the three-front battle which is quite unusual from the regular two teams’ title challenges.

Liverpool recovered from a disappointing elimination from the Europa League by Atalanta, to record an emphatic 3:1 win over Fulham last Sunday.

Playing against the team with the seventh-best defensive record at home in the Premier League this season was always going to be a stern test, but the Reds rose to the occasion having been boosted by the return of key players.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s sublime free-kick gave Liverpool the lead before Timothy Castagne levelled the scoring as both teams headed into the dressing room level at halftime.

Liverpool dominated proceedings in the second half and took a deserved lead with a superb strike from Ryan Gravenberch to mark his first Premier League goal while Diogo Jota marked his first League start since February with Liverpool’s third goal to seal all three points as Klopp’s side drew level with Arsenal on points.

The Reds will hope that the win over the Cottagers have nullified their goalscoring woes after recording over 40 shots in their previous three matches, scoring one goal.

The win at Craven Cottage also extended Liverpool’s record-scoring streak away from home to 20 matches.

They now gear up to face city rivals, Everton and will look to avoid another 0:0 draw which has been a constant scoreline in four of the last six fixtures played at Goodison Park.

Everton on the other hand are looking to avoid relegation in what has been a tumultuous season for the club in both on-pitch and off-pitch activities.

Sean Dyche’s side recorded their second victory in three matches and only their second Premier League win since the turn of the year when they faced Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

With both teams being deducted three points this season, the match was not short of drama as there were highly contentious and controversial decisions.

Forest had waves of appeal for a penalty on three separate occasions but two identical strikes from Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil crashed the underside of the post to ricochet inside the net as Everton emerged winners of the widely acclaimed “points deduction derby”.

Dyche’s side currently sit at 16th place in the Premier League standings and the 2:0 win over the Tricky Trees moved Everton five points clear above 18th place Luton Town in the relegation zone.

The Toffees now turn attention to face familiar foes, Liverpool on Wednesday night and will look to avoid defeat to aid their survival chances.

Everton Vs Liverpool match details

• Date: Wednesday, 24 April, 2024
• Location: Liverpool, England
• Venue: Goodison Park
• Kick-off time: 19:00 UTC, 12:30 AM IST, 20:00 PM BST, 3 pm ET
• Referee: Andy Madley
• Assistant referees: Harry Lennard, Nick Hopton
• Fourth official: Simon Hooper
• VAR: David Coote
• Assistant VAR: Lee Betts
• Tickets: Supporters can buy Everton vs Liverpool tickets at the club websites or via a trusted online reseller.

Match stats and head-to-head

• Everton have either scored one goal or no goal in nine of their last ten matches with the only exception coming in the contentious 2:0 win over Nottingham Forest last weekend.

• The Toffees have recorded only one goal in their last six matches in the Merseyside derby.

• Four of the last six Merseyside derbies played at Goodison Park have ended 0-0

• Everton’s last victory over Liverpool came in 2021 where they won 2:0 at Anfield.

• Liverpool have only lost once in their last 29 matches against Everton across all competitions.

• Klopp’s side have won four of their last five Premier League clashes against the Toffees with the only exception being a 0:0 draw at Goodison Park.

• There have been 294 Merseyside derbies between these two sides, with Liverpool showing superiority with 125 wins against Everton’s meagre 83 wins while 86 draws have been recorded in this fixture.

• The fixture between Everton and Liverpool holds the record for the most number of red cards in Premier League history, with the Toffees receiving 16 of the 23 red cards issued in this fixture.

• Everton have failed to find the back of the net in the last four Premier League clashes against The Reds, their longest streak of matches in this fixture without recording a goal since playing nine matches without scoring between 1972 and 1976.

• The Toffees are without a win in their last 12 Premier League matches at Goodison Park against Liverpool, losing three and drawing nine— their longest streak of matches at home without a win against any opponent.

• This will be Klopp’s final Merseyside derby in charge of Liverpool. The 56-year-old has faced the Toffees 16 times in the Premier League since his appointment in 2015, winning nine, drawing six and recording just one solitary loss.

Team news

Everton’s victory over Forest on Sunday was overshadowed by a critical head injury suffered to their forward, Beto who was placed on oxygen as he was stretchered off the pitch.

The 26-year-old is reported to be in stable condition but will unlikely make the squad that will host Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday.

Youngster, Lewis Dobbin is sidelined for this clash with an ankle injury while Dele Alli is still timing his return as he continues to recuperate from a lengthy groin injury.

Right back, Nathan Patterson is also out of contention with a thigh injury and it remains to be seen if the Scotland international will make it back on time to represent Scotland at the Euro later this year.

Club captain, Seamus Coleman is on a tightrope to feature in the match with a niggling groin issue, but the veteran right-back will undergo a fitness test to determine his availability for the match.

For Liverpool, Klopp is over the moon for the return of key players such as Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold who both scored for Liverpool last weekend.

However, the Reds remain without Ben Doak who is nursing a knee injury and Conor Bradley who remains sidelined with an ankle injury. Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara remain Liverpool’s longest absentees with knee and muscle injuries respectively.

Youngster, Stefan Bajcetic can be described as fit and is already gaining match fitness with Liverpool u21s. It remains to be seen if the Spain U21 International will make the trip to Goodison Park.

Predicted starting lineup

Everton predicted starting lineup:

Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Onana, Gueye, McNeil; Doucoure; Calvert-Lewin.

Liverpool predicted starting lineup:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.

Prediction

Any result other than a win for either team will prove consequential in their title hopes or relegation survival.

A draw or defeat to Liverpool could dampen their title hopes while a defeat or draw to Everton could see Forest leapfrog them in the League table and could put them in a tough survival battle.

Everton have recorded poor results against top teams Liverpool are tipped to emerge victorious in this clash to boost their titles hopes.

We’re predicting a 2:0 win for Liverpool.