Everton v Liverpool
Sunday 3rd March 1615rs
Football – England – Premier League
Pick Under 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Betfair
Odds: Evens (odds taken 22.45 GMT, Friday 1st March)
Merseyside derby games are full of incident and this one has an extra edge due to Liverpool’s involvement in the title race. Everton and their supporters would love nothing more than to upset their challenge when the two clash at Goodison Park on Sunday.
Premier League Betting at Betfair
Everton Preview
Everton’s season has not went as planned under Marco Silva with the Toffees just inside the top half of the table with only 10 teams to go. A lot of money was spent in the summer transfer window with a view to getting Everton challenging for the top six and Europe but there has not been any consistency and Everton have failed to reach a level of performance that many think they are capable of. They coming into Sunday’s game on the back of a comprehensive win away to Cardiff in midweek – there first in in the whole of February. Silva’s men had lost three on the bounce and the scrutiny on the job he was doing was beginning to increase. The win over Cardiff has given him some respite, even though his job security is not under threat as yet, and that would certainly be helped further if Everton can get a result in the fixture there supporters value more than any other. Silva has managed one derby game to date and 90 minutes of it was very positive until the error by Jordan Pickford late on gifted Liverpool the win. The fear of Liverpool winning the title is growing in the blue half of the city and Sunday’s game will be their last chance to affect it – and it will be one they will want to take.
Key-Facts – Everton v Liverpool
- Everton have not won a Merseyside derby since 2010
- Liverpool will be targeting all three points to keep them ahead in the title race
- Seven of the last eight league meetings have ended with two or fewer goals
Liverpool Preview
Jurgen Klopp’s men got back on track in emphatic style during the week with a 5-0 win over Watford to ensure they remain top of the league by a single point over Manchester City. It was just Liverpool’s second win in five league games – a run which had some questioning if they had the ability to last the pace at the top. In the Reds’ defence, they still have just one defeat to their name this season in the league and have played all of the top eight away from home following last week’s draw away to Manchester United. Everton will be the last of the current top 10 they visit which is significant with so many games left to play. The win on Wednesday was not only important for the three points, it was also a return to form in front of goal which has deserted them in recent weeks and Klopp will be hoping it spurs his team on as they make the short trip to Goodison on Sunday. Klopp is yet to lose a game against Everton since arriving in 2015 and that will be a record he hopes to maintain come the end of the weekend.
Everton v Liverpool Betting Preview
It’s sometimes referred to as the ‘friendly’ derby but there will be absolute no love lost between the clubs, players and especially supporters come kick off on Sunday. Followers of Everton have made no secret that they want to put a spanner in the works of their rivals title challenge and it’s likely that the visitors will need a win to return to the top of the league with City playing a day earlier. It’s been an awfully long time since the blue half of the Merseyside were celebrating a win in the derby with their last win coming all the way back in 2010 – it’s an unwanted record and one they want to put right.
Liverpool may not have been at their scintillating best of late (or for much of the season for that matter) but they are an efficient team and Klopp will know exactly the points total his team are capable of and which will be a winning tally. A point at Old Trafford will look a lot better if they can follow it up with two wins in the week after and they will be confident of getting that. My selection, however, is for under 2.5 goals. Seven of the last eight league meetings between these clubs have had two or less goals and it looks a sound bet once again.
