Liverpool vs Everton Prediction: 3 key battles to look out for

The Merseyside derby is considered as one of the marquee fixtures in the Premier League. Also one of the dirtiest fixtures, this upcoming derby already looks like a one-sided fixture with a lot of difference between Liverpool and Everton.

Though Liverpool have not lost for quite a while, they don’t seem to have that swagger which helped them conquer Europe last term. They have managed to narrowly win games for the majority of this season.

However, this fixture would be more than just a derby for Marco Silva. He has come under the microscope after a string of poor results, which sees Everton just one place above the relegation zone. With just 4 wins in the League, this match could decide the Portuguese’s fate with the club.

Liverpool come into this game on the back of a narrow 2-1 win against Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend, while Everton lost to the Foxes in the same manner. Despite taking the lead, Marco Silva’s men had no answer to Leicester’s array of attacks and eventually fell back by a last-minute Kelechi Iheanacho goal.

So a blockbuster derby could be expected in the midweek when these two sides meet. In such games, individual performances mostly decide the outcome. Let’s take a look at three key battles that would be interesting.

Three Key Battles- Liverpool vs Everton

The Midfield Battle – Georginio Wijnaldum vs Tom Davies

It is a well-known fact that a team which dominates in the middle of the park eventually goes on to win the game. And Liverpool have been a perfect example of this in recent times. Wijnaldum has been consistent so far and has started in all of Liverpool’s games so far.

With 1 assist to his name, the Dutch international been a revelation in Liverpool’s recent successes. He has been putting in the hard work up and down the pitch for Klopp to ensure they come out with a win.

On the other hand, Tom Davies has started the last four games for Everton. Against Leicester, he was brilliant alongside Gylfi Sigurdsson. An upcoming talent, Davies would look to engineer his team to at least bag a single point from the game.

Mane, Firmino and Salah against Everton’s shaky defence

Liverpool’s front three are known to be one of the best trios in Europe. The pace of Mane and Salah on either wing along with the brilliance of Firmino’s mind and feet have wreaked havoc against almost every team they faced last year.

On the other hand, Everton’s defence of Yerry Mina, Michael Keane and Mason Holgate looked to hold the penetrating Leicester with much command last weekend. But eventually, they were breached in the last minute of the game.

The Toffees have already conceded 22 in the league so far. Their defence would be key to resist the unstoppable force of Liverpool and if they manage to do so, it would be a huge relief for Marco Silva.

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Richarlison vs Dejan Lovern and Trent Alexander-Arnold

While Lovern seems to be a weak link in the Reds’ defensive unit, Alexander-Arnold has been vital in a way to Liverpool’s attack. Richarlison, who plays on the left side for Everton, has been their top scorer with 4 goals, with the most recent one coming against Leicester City.

The Brazilian would be looking to add more to his name on Wednesday and to do this, he has to breach Liverpool’s right side of defence – Lovern and Alexander-Arnold.