Liverpool will look to re-establish their advantage at the top of the Premier League as they return to action with a Merseyside derby against Everton.
Arne Slot’s side have had plenty of time to stew on their Carabao Cup final loss as a trophy slipped out of their grasp at Wembley, with this their first outing since that mid-March defeat after an early exit from the FA Cup. It leaves their full focus on league success and though their significant lead over Arsenal was narrowed to nine points last night, Liverpool remain in a position of such strength with nine games to go in the campaign.
This could represent a stumbling block, though, with Everton sure to be ready for their rivals as they travel across the city. James Tarkowski snatched a dramatic late equaliser in the reverse fixture – the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park – and the club have enjoyed solid form since, though David Moyes will be keen to end a recent run of draws that have inhibited their climb up the table.
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Arne Slot on Alisson’s absence
“We as a club follow the protocol and he had to tick all the boxes. Yesterday, he didn’t tick the last box,” Slot said pre-match.
“We have Kelleher who has shown this season that he is maybe too good to be Alli’s [Alisson] back-up.”
Slot also confirmed that Curtis Jones is starting at right-back, saying: “Yes, he is. We are missing thee right full-backs at the minute.”
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The ‘unacceptable’ Liverpool mistake that must change in Merseyside derby
Time and again, Arne Slot described himself as “rational”. He can often seem the most sensible man in the strange world of Premier League management but his first taste of the Merseyside derby ended with Slot looking his most irrational, with Michael Oliver brandishing the red card after a post-match blast, and the subsequent referee’s report revealing that the Liverpool head coach told the official: “I will f***ing blame you if we don’t win the league.”
As Slot approaches a rematch – with Everton, not Oliver – the aim is to be the calm, measured winner who has taken his team to the brink of the Premier League title.
The Premier League has never been more popular but it has never had more problems
There was a strange feeling around some Premier League training grounds on Monday, especially for the modern game. It was one of refreshment. The sun was out for a lot of teams, and many players haven’t had a game for two and a half weeks. It represents the longest break the Premier League has had since the summer.
Such a gap would normally bring the same sense of refreshment to the actual games, but then this is also a strange time for the Premier League as a whole. Normally so used to being the biggest show around, “the world’s best league” last weekend witnessed the FA Cup bringing some actual storylines back to a relatively drab season.
That was something else that fed into the feeling at some training grounds this week. There is a sense of a season winding down, rather than building to a crescendo.
Surprise goalkeeper selection by Slot
Something of a surprise to see Caoimhin Kelleher starting. The general expectation, not least from Arne Slot’s press conference yesterday, was that Alisson would be fit. It actually means Kelleher retains his place, as he started the Carabao Cup final. The lone change is to bring Curtis Jones in at right-back, where he played against Leicester last season, though Slot will hope to see a change of approach after admitting Liverpool were outworked by Newcastle at Wembley. And so Everton, unbeaten in nine, go into this derby as the form team.
Atmosphere reaching fever pitch outside Anfield
A reminder of what went down last time out…
Sometimes the Merseyside derby gets criticism for not having that intense ultra-competitive derby feel. February’s meeting at Goodison was not one of those times.
After a back-and-forth contest, James Tarkowski channeled his inner-Jagielka and volleyed home an absolute thunderbolt deep into stoppage time, equalising for Everton in a dramatic 2-2 draw.
Then, chaos ensued. Abdoulaye Doucoure went over to the away to rub the result – which very much felt like two points lost for Liverpool – in the faces of Reds fans. Toxteth boy Curtis Jones did not take kindly to that, squaring up to Doucoure and sparking a brawl.
Jones was sent off, Doucoure was sent off, and after telling referee Michael Oliver how he felt about his officiating, Reds manager Arne Slot also saw red. Carnage.
Everton welcome back Mykolenko
The big news from Everton’s teamsheet is that Vitali Mykolenko has passed his late fitness test and starts at left-back ahead of Ashley Young.
Iliman Ndiaye is also on the bench after returning to training this week.
Derby day comes too soon for Liverpool duo
Alisson and Conor Bradley both returned to Liverpool training this week and were in contention to feature, but have both missed out on the matchday squad.
Caoimhin Kelleher assumes his usual position as Alisson’s trusted deputy, while Curtis Jones – who was at the centre of controversy when these two sides last met, looks to be playing at right-back.
Ryan Gravenberch, on the other hand, does make a return after suffering a knock in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup final loss to Newcastle.