18/09/2025 33comments  |  Jump to last

The first Merseyside derby of the season is right upon us as Everton make their annual pilgrimage to Anfield on the back of a three-game unbeaten run.

Four games into the season and Everton are 6th in the league after picking up 7 points from a possible 12. Following a rather dismal no-show against newly-promoted Leeds United at Elland Road, David Moyes’s side managed to turn things around with back-to-back wins over Brighton and Wolves.

While the Blues kept up the quality of performance against Aston Villa, they were left frustrated and had to settle for just a point at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Despite managing 20 attempts throughout the game, they failed to rattle Emiliano Martinez’s net over the course of 90 minutes.

The need for efficiency in the final third is expected to be central to the team’s pre-match discussions. Everton’s ability to fashion chances, helped by the arrivals of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish to add to the mercurial talent of Iliman Ndiaye, has been the biggest positive takeaway of the nascent stages of the season so far.

They’ve also been largely solid at the back despite missing star centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite. James Garner has been instrumental, filling in at left-back for the injured Vitalii Mykolenko seamlessly.

Going into the game, the biggest question for Evertonians surrounds the striker and who should start at Anfield. Beto forgot his scoring shoes against Aston Villa and missed a series of good chances. When Beto’s not scoring, he can often be underwhelming.

Meanwhile, Thierno Barry, signed from Villarreal for £27M this summer, has only looked good in bits, but his overall game is far from the demands of a lethal Premier League Number 9.

Given the team’s positive start to the season, the form of Grealish and Ndiaye, as well as depth on the bench, Everton should undoubtedly take the game to the opposition as they search for their first win at Anfield since 2021.

Liverpool vs Everton: Team News and Predicted XI

Everton will be without Branthwaite for this game and are expected to miss Vitalii Mykolenko once again. Nathan Patterson and Adam Aznou weren’t “100% match ready” according to Moyes for the last game against Aston Villa and it remains to be seen whether they make it to the squad here.

Iliman Ndiaye was also in doubt for the clash against Unai Emery’s side after Moyes mentioned that the Senegalese had picked up a knock on international duty. However, Ndiaye started and finished the game without any concern.

If Mykolenko is ruled out of this clash, Garner is expected to be deployed at left-back again. However, Merlin Röhl, fresh off a wonderful cameo on his Everton debut, could be a surprise addition in the middle of the park, replacing Tim Iroegbunam as Idrissa Gueye’s partner in the engine room.

Ndiaye, Grealish and Dewsbury-Hall are all expected to start while Beto could receive the nod ahead of Thierno Barry for this clash.

Everton predicted starting XI: Jordan Pickford, Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, James Garner, Merlin Röhl, Idrissa Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jack Grealish, Beto.

Liverpool vs Everton: Head-to-Head and Form Guide

In 246 matches of the longest-running top-flight derby in English football, Everton have won on 68 occasions while Liverpool have 100 victories. 78 matches between the two sides have ended in draws. 

The Blues’ last victory against their city rivals was in April last year, when goals from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin sealed a sweet 2-0 success at home. 

They held the opposition to a 2-2 draw in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park last season, memorable for James Tarkowski’s famous last-gasp equaliser, before suffering a 1-0 defeat in the return fixture.

Form Guide: 

Liverpool: W-W-W-W-W

Everton: L-W-W-W-D

When is the match between Liverpool and Everton?

Everton will face Liverpool in the first Merseyside derby of the season on Saturday, September 20. Kickoff at Anfield is scheduled at 12:30pm.

Where to watch Liverpool vs Everton?

The Premier League clash between Liverpool and Everton will be available to watch on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, as is the case with every 12:30 pm Premier League kickoff. TNT Sports 1 can be found on Channel 410 for Sky customers, Channel 430 for BT and EE customers and 521 for Virgin Media subscribers.

Those in the UK can also stream the match live on the Discovery+ platform.

 

Reader Comments (33)

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Martin Farrington
1 Posted 18/09/2025 at 18:38:17
Tim or Merlin. Its a difficult one.

Merlin making a derby debut is fraught with danger as is Tim who was woeful v Villa and looked shagged out for most of it. To be hooked at 65 by Dilly is rock hard to achieve.

I hate our bastard child. Its thugs and that urinal

Geoff Cadman
2 Posted 18/09/2025 at 19:10:27
Darren England was on VAR duty for the RS non goal at Tottenham. I hope he doesn't feel he has to make amends.

I was surprised to read this morning that Liverpool still have tickets available for Saturday. The requirement is attending 4 home games last season. Everton have sold out their allocation of course.

Warren Brennan
3 Posted 18/09/2025 at 22:36:48
..Where to watch - isn't it obvious?
Theres only ever one place. Comfort blanket and stiff drink already setup behind the sofa

There's more dread when we go in with a level of optimism. Better to kill any expectation to dull the pain

Even more critical to be more direct in the final third for this. Theyre arguably vulnerable at the back, but too much overplaying wont be tolerated by St Virgil and his horde... if anything I just hope we come out unscathed

Paul Kossoff
4 Posted 19/09/2025 at 00:16:40
Anjishnu, Where to watch, Seriously? You aren't an Everton supporter are you? Believe me, thousands of blues would rather this fixture didn't exist and just went away, in a haze of European super League flashes, along with the rest of the sky six, or what ever they call it now.

Inevitable will be the word of the day on Saturday, along with var,, cheats, bastards, corruption, Arnie time and a few others. Where to watch, yea, ok if you say so.

Si Cooper
5 Posted 19/09/2025 at 03:18:46
Nice white flag Paul.

Some of us Everton supporters prefer to live in hope. Please stop the monotonous wailing.

Jay Harris
6 Posted 19/09/2025 at 03:57:13
Where to watch?

Behind the goal in the kop as Jack Grealish scores the winner for the Blues and the officials spend the last 10 minutes trying to find a way to disallow an indisputable goal.

2-1 to the mighty blues.

Rob Hooton
7 Posted 19/09/2025 at 08:05:58
That’s more like it Jay! It’s a blow to hear that Mykolenko is still not back, though Garner has been covering very well - would rather have him in midfield of course.

Don’t care how we do it, a win would see many a jig danced and confidence through the roof.

Raymond Fox
8 Posted 19/09/2025 at 08:07:32
We need to score at least one and get at them. Fannying around in our own half trying to nil them is asking to get beat I think. If we lose, so be it, at least we didn't wave the white flag.

We have two or three players now that can frighten them and Grealish is the key for us. They will aim to put him out of the game, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

We need to play well in the midfield, that's probably where it will be won or lost.

Nigel Scowen
9 Posted 19/09/2025 at 08:52:32
Paul @4,

I've seen lots of derby wins, Paul, including at the Devil's Den. I really fancy us in this, they have had more than their fair share of jammy results this season. I think it's time they were put back in their box.

Lee Courtliff
10 Posted 19/09/2025 at 08:55:45
I'll be watching either there in person or at home on the sofa, but I certainly won't be hiding behind it!

Nothing to lose tomorrow so let's go for it. They're nothing special at the back and we have some tidy players ourselves these days, let's play with some belief!!

Geoff Cadman
11 Posted 19/09/2025 at 09:04:20
Paul,

61 years ago today, an Everton side missing Gordon West, Alex Parker, Ray Wilson, Roy Vernon and Alex Young hammered the RS 4-Nil.

Goalkeeper Andy Rankin, 20 at the time, was Man of the Match. Kopites swore blind they would have won if not for him. Anything can happen in a derby.

Eugene Stalker
12 Posted 19/09/2025 at 09:16:12
Geoff #11 that brings back memories since that was the day my mum and dad got married (not that I was actually at the wedding!).

My mum was an Evertonian and my dad was and still is a massive red. He only found out the score when they were on the train going on their honeymoon and a drunken Evertonian was celebrating. Not the best start to the marriage but glad to say things got better. :)

George McKane
13 Posted 19/09/2025 at 09:43:48
"Woke up this mornin' feelin' fine
There's somethin' special on my mind
Last night I met a new girl
in the neighbourhood, whoa yeah
Somethin' tells me
I'm into something good"

Top 10 September 1964 - - remember it well - - I was at that game - - never forget it - - we were expected to get thrashed - - recall Andy Rankin having a great game - - I was in The Kop - - COYB.
Cosmic Bluetiful Grooves All The Way.

Rob Jones
14 Posted 19/09/2025 at 10:09:22
A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place.

There's nothing holy about that hell hole.

Neil Lawson
15 Posted 19/09/2025 at 10:16:30
If it's available on the tele, then you have to watch -- no matter how stressful and painful that is.

I'm sure that time slows down and that 15 minutes in, it feels like an hour. The last 5 minutes will be purgatory if we are still in the game (and why not?). That said, I am working whilst the match is on so I have a genuine excuse. Who ever said that work can not be enjoyable?

It will remain agony though. Switching on my phone at 2 pm or thereabouts, hoping for the best, expecting the worst, followed by the last 20 minutes of joy or despair or whatever. For those of you at the game and for those of you in front of a screen or behind a settee, I will be with you.

I will be conducting 2 weddings, speaking of love and joy and commitment etc whilst thinking of a rather different form of love, joy and commitment! I have to avoid despair so as not to disappoint the bride and groom (unless of course, either admit to being Redshite, and here in Devon that is quite a high liklihood!!).

COYB. Let's have 1964 again. Not there, my Dad's was, but I remember it.

Dave Abrahams
16 Posted 19/09/2025 at 11:30:57
What a game that 4-0 victory was, starting with a first-minute goal from Derek Temple -- nearly as important as that 1966 cup winning goal -- then more from Harvey, Pickering and a second-half goal from Johnny Morrissey had plenty leaving the Kop where I was ecstatic and my heart was close to jumping out of me with joy.

If I'm not mistaken, we had a stand-in full-back, but a very good player, that day — Brian Harris. Sandy Brown was the other full-back and he saved his fabulous own goal for another day, I think Sandy might have been new to the team as well.

Paul Kossoff
17 Posted 19/09/2025 at 15:09:07
Si, 5. Monotonous wailing? Lol, oh, okay, tell you what, I'll jump for joy, shall I? Shout hip hip hooray, shall I?

Thank God for all the fantastic times we have had supporting Everton when playing those fkg cheats shall I? Um, no, I'll stick to my, as you call it, monotonous wailing, if that's okay with you.

Tell you what: if we beat these bastards, I'll never put you through my monotonous wailing again. You keep your positives when against that lot; I'll stay negative and I won't be disappointed when the inevitable happens, okay?

Oh one other thing, Si, stop the moaning about other posts on here will you, it's getting a little monotonous. And just for you, Coyb.😁

Paul Kossoff
18 Posted 19/09/2025 at 15:14:45
George, if we get beat, will you go become a Hermit?😁
Gary Russell
19 Posted 19/09/2025 at 15:45:58
@Admins

Could you change the top banner pics so we have the *present* players, like Dibling, Röhl, Dewsbury Hall etc, and not DCL, Ashley, Doucorue, Harrison, et al, still showing? Just a thought. . .

Anjishnu Roy
Editorial Team
21 Posted 19/09/2025 at 16:06:45
Gary, we've been in touch with the tech team for the past few weeks to work on the banners to include current players instead of former ones.
Gary Russell
22 Posted 19/09/2025 at 16:14:41
Cheers, Anjishnu!
Barry McNally
23 Posted 19/09/2025 at 16:52:53
Anjishnu, good work not having that crest in our faces on most of the articles about tomorrow's match - it turns my stomach.

Can you please do it for all the other games this season?

Phil (Kelsall) Roberts
24 Posted 19/09/2025 at 17:00:49
Given the abuse over recent years, can we have a few chants of: "Shitty ground, Shitty ground" tomorrow as the boot is now on the other foot.
Steven Kendrew
25 Posted 19/09/2025 at 17:26:32
What's the latest on Branthwaite?

Any ETA for return?

Rob Halligan
26 Posted 19/09/2025 at 17:37:27
Phil # 24………..Followed by “Shitty Fans Shitty Fans”.

Of course,we'll probably get what Leeds and Mansfield fans threw at us………”You sold your soul for that / this shithole”!

Sean Mitchell
27 Posted 19/09/2025 at 17:45:45
Where to watch? The Lock Up Bar in town for me.

I'd never watch the derby with that lot. Let alone by near any of them on derby days.

Come on, Blues. Let's break this poor record at their toilet. 🚽

Kevin Molloy
28 Posted 19/09/2025 at 18:22:35
I just watched a bit of the Anfield Wrap. Their fans are cockahoop at the moment, it seems they feel their team is in top form.

I was hoping they'd be saying stuff like "We've ridden our luck recently" but most of the comment was on how brilliantly they are playing.

Brian Harrison
29 Posted 19/09/2025 at 18:47:42
The usual cry from pundits is anything can happen in derby games. Well, tell that to us long-suffering Blues, as we nearly always come away from their ground with nothing.

Moyes, when asked at the press conference today about Branthwaite and Mykolenko, said "Let's wait and see," but I don't expect either to play. Worryingly, Moyes also said a couple of players had knocks but didn't name any.

But we are playing reasonably well and if Grealish, Ndiaye and Dewsbury-Hall are fit, we can cause them problems. They have won most of their games from the 83rd minute onwards, so we will need to keep our concentration to the final whistle.

Might even see Dibling get some minutes in a Premier League game, I am sure by now he will be desperate to get on.

Dale Self
30 Posted 19/09/2025 at 19:03:04
I am not getting up at 4:30 am to fear those red fuckers.

Jack will be in the mood, hopefully their despicable fans have a cheer customized to get him going. We have enough even with Mykolenko out. Just get into them early without taking a card.

Bobby Mallon
31 Posted 19/09/2025 at 23:15:11
Pickford
Coleman
Tarkowski
Keane
O'Brien
Garner
Gana
Dewsbury-Hall
Alcaraz
Grealish
Ndiaye
Steve Brown
32 Posted 20/09/2025 at 05:44:04
Kevin @ 28, that is because they are thick and deluded.
Colin Glassar
33 Posted 20/09/2025 at 06:07:49
All the best of luck today to all fellow blues. I'll be working away from home today so I will avoid this game, and result, until I get back home late his afternoon.

I hate derbies!!

Sam Hoare
34 Posted 20/09/2025 at 07:47:25
Would be tough to throw Röhl in for a first start in this game, hopefully Mykolenko can play as he kept Salah under control in the past.

The attacking resources that the RS have are pretty unrivalled I'd say (with Isak potentially featuring too now) and Michael Keane's resurgence will surely be tested but our attack is also looking more potent so hopefully we can cause them some issues.

No doubt they will have significantly more ball and territory than us but we will have opportunities to counter and have to be clinical with any half-chances we get.

I feel more optimistic about an Anfield derby than I have in some time; but still struggle to genuinely imagine us winning there given the paucity of joy there in recent years. Of course it will happen again, why not today?!


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