The rivalry between Liverpool and Everton is one of the most ferocious in English football. The shortest measurements have Anfield and Goodison Park a mere 1km apart, or a brisk walk across Stanley Park for locals of Liverpool. With Everton set to move into their new stadium on Bramley-Moore Dock right by the River Mersey next season, that distance is set to grow by another few minutes by car.
The rivalry will remain unchanged though and with Liverpool pushing for a first league title since 2019 in the red corner and David Moyes engineering a mini revival in his second spell in the blue corner, the upcoming Merseyside derby is already billed to be one of the most explosive in recent years.
Match Facts
When: Wednesday 12th February 2025
Where: Goodison Park, Liverpool
Kick Off: 20.30h (CET)
Recent Form (Premier League)
Everton: WWWLL
Liverpool: WWWDD
Everton looking for back-to-back derby wins
1984 was the last time Everton secured back-to-back wins over their neighbours, with The Toffees going on to make it a hat-trick in 1985. Over the course of history, the red side of Merseyside has dominated this fixture, winning 125 of the 295 of the encounters between the city rivals. Everton have a credible record, taking 84 victories, with the remaining 86 matches drawn. However, despite the bookmakers tipping another Liverpool win at betting sites for UK players, it was Everton who won the last match between the two.
Everton 2-0 Liverpool, 24th April 2024
Despite having only 23% possession, former Everton manager, Sean Dyche, masterminded a crucial win for his former side in their battle against relegation last season. Goals from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin settled the tie and sent the blue half of Merseyside home happy.
Liverpool struggled to contain Everton’s set pieces that evening; a theme that could crop up again when the teams do battle, while at the other end, Jordan Pickford was in inspired form to keep out Darwin Núñez and Luis Diaz with sharp reflex saves. England’s number one will have to be on the top of his game to keep out a free-scoring Liverpool side that have plundered 56 goals in the league so far.
Players to Watch
Iliman Ndiaye (Everton)
For those looking for a betting angle, Iliman Ndiaye will be shouldering most the responsibility up front for The Toffees and could be backed to bag a goal. A hamstring injury picked up in the 1-0 over Brighton could unfortunately rule out Dominic Calvert-Lewin for a few weeks, but while DCL scored his first goal since September in the recent 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur, Ndiaye is Everton’s top scorer this season and has also been taking penalties. The recent pickup in the form of Beto also cannot be ignored, with the much-maligned striker scoring twice in the recent win 4-0 over Leciester City.
Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)
While Mo Salah has racked up goals and assists for fun this season, Cody Gakpo has been Liverpool’s man for the big occasion. The Dutchman has netted vital equalisers against Fulham, Leicester City and Manchester United, while also finding the net against Real Madrid and Manchester City in 2-0 wins. Drifting inside from the left flank, Gakpo has been occupying the opposition penalty area with greater regularity, which is evident in his improved goal tally so far this season.
Prediction
On paper, all signs point to a Liverpool win. However, derby matches often level the playing field slightly and with home advantage, Everton will believe they can get at least a draw out of the latest instalment of the Merseyside derby, especially with the recent good form they have shown under Moyes. The Toffees will take confidence from recent wins against Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton, and Leicester City and the fact they are scoring goals again. They will also be hoping for a raucous atmosphere to spur them on in what will be the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Moyes will need a solid rearguard performance from the likes of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, who are more than capable of stemming the expected Liverpool tide. For Arne Slot, avoiding defeat will be the primary objective as Liverpool look to maintain their strong grip at the top of the table. With their neighbours looking to put a dent in those ambitions, Slot’s first Merseyside derby experience is sure to be a fiery one with a raft of yellow cards another possible betting angle.
Everton 1-1 Liverpool
