Match Postponed
The derby between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park has been postponed due to high winds, travel chaos and safety concerns caused by Storm Darragh.
Everton and Liverpool go head-to-head this weekend in what will, in all likelihood, be the last Merseyside derby to take place at Goodison Park.
The Blues will be moving to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for the start of next season, closing a chapter of local, Blues-vs-Reds clashes at the Grand Old Lady spanning 132 years.
The final edition, barring a meeting between the two clubs in the FA Cup this season, will be a Saturday lunchtime kick-off, pitting the clear Premier League pace-setters against an Everton side battling to keep its distance from the relegation zone for a fourth straight season.
Sean Dyche’s men gave themselves a huge psychological boost on Wednesday evening, however, when they pummelled Wolves 4-0, collecting three points that could prove invaluable as they prepare to play four successive games against the current top four between now and Boxing Day.
Having struggled to find the right combination in midfield and attack to find ways of scoring goals in recent weeks, Dyche struck upon a promising line-up in midweek that, combined with the return of the Blues’ potency from set-pieces under the former Burnley boss, helped them record their biggest home victory since he took charge in January 2023.
It’s likely that, despite a few knocks, the manager will go for the same XI against Liverpool given that the players will have a full week to recover before they travel to the Emirates Stadium next weekend.
Armando Broja made a hugely encouraging cameo against Wolves and will provide a valuable option off the bench as he
Michael Keane is described as “touch and go” in terms of being available after missing the last two matches with a knee injury but James Garner and Tim Iroegbunam will remain sidelined.
The Reds, flying this season under Arne Slot, had their margin at the top of the table cut to seven points when they let a 3-2 lead slip at Newcastle on Wednesday and they could be without as many as seven first-team players this weekend.
Alexis Mac Allister serves a two-match ban, Trent Alexander-Arnold is nursing a hamstring problem, and neither Alisson Becker nor Diogo Jota are expected to return until later in the month. Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas and Conor Bradley, meanwhile, are all sidelined until the New Year.
Unfortunately, Slot has talent in abundance and Mohamed Salah in red-hot form, meaning that Everton will need to be on it from the first minute to 90-plus if they are to get anything from the game.
A repeat of April’s stunning 2-0 victory appears unlikely given the form of the two sides but it would have Evertonians in dreamland and anything is possible on derby day.
Kick-off: 12:30 pm, Saturday 7 December 2024
Referee: Michael Oliver
VAR: Chris Kavanagh
Last Time: Everton 2 – 0 Liverpool
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Mangala, McNeil, Ndiaye, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin