Liverpool v Everton: match preview, Date, Time And Live

Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Liverpool v Everton
Anfield
Kick-off: 20.00 GMT.
TV: Highlights, BBC ONE Match of the Day, Wed, Jan 29.
Referee: Martin Atkinson. Matches: 15, R3 Y46.
Betting: Home 17-20, Away 7-2, Draw 23-10.
Team News
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has a decision to make over whether to include midfielder Joe Allen for the 222nd Merseyside derby at home to Everton.
The Wales international missed the weekend's FA Cup win at Bournemouth with a hamstring injury and although he trained Monday Rodgers is concerned playing him may do more harm than good.
Defender Mamadou Sakho (hamstring) is still two to three weeks away from fitness while Jon Flanagan is set to start after making his comeback as a substitute at the weekend after a month out.

Does he drop Gerrard? If Gerrard does start, will Jordan Henderson be limited, unable to make the forward runs that were so effective earlier in the season?

It's likely that Rodgers will opt for both Gerrard and Henderson in midfield, as he has few other options. Joe Allen is still recovering from injury, and it's a race against time to get him ready for the derby, per Sky Sports:

'We need to see with Joe,' Rodgers said on Monday. 'He was on the training field today but it is a case of assessing as to whether it will push him too much for this game because we don't want another injury in a key area.'

If Liverpool suffer from the same problems they did against Villa, it will be a long match.

Kevin Mirallas normally torches Liverpool, and without much resistance in the centre of midfield, he will cut inside and wreak havoc.

Prediction

Between Liverpool's problems at the back, and the imbalance in midfield, it's hard to see them taking all three points. Luis Suarez and DanielSturridge are deadly in the attack, but the Reds have too many other problems across the pitch.

Everton, on the other hand, haven't won in any of their last 13 matches at Anfield. Some of that could be chalked up to David Moyes' pragmatic tactics, though.

Roberto Martinez won't be afraid to let his players play and get out on the attack.

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler, for one, is intrigued to see how the match plays out, per the BBC:

The way Everton play now, they're more of a footballing side. They used to go to Anfield, sit players behind the ball, everyone working hard. It'll be interesting to look at what both teams do with their formations.

It should be an entertaining fixture, but one with draw written all over it.

Prediction: Liverpool 1, Everton 1

Paul Merson's prediction

I watched Everton in the FA Cup match against Stevenage and thought they were very thorough. It was a real banana skin going down to Stevenage where the pitch ain't great and it was a 5.30pm kick-off. There was a lot of pressure on Everton and they came out well on top and I was very impressed.

Liverpool played a strong team at Bournemouth and got through, but they looked poor against Villa the week before. I find this a hard game to call, but I'll just lean towards Liverpool - and I think they'll end up finishing higher in the table this season.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has a decision to make over whether to include midfielder Joe Allen for the 222nd Merseyside derby at home to Everton.

The Wales international missed the weekend's FA Cup win at Bournemouth with a hamstring injury and, although he trained on Monday, Rodgers is concerned playing him may do more harm than good.

Defender Mamadou Sakho (hamstring) is still two to three weeks away from fitness, while Jon Flanagan is set to start after making his comeback as a substitute at the weekend after a month out.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez will make a late call on whether to include loan signing Lacina Traore in his squad for the trip to Anfield.

The Ivory Coast international only trained with his new team-mates on Monday and has had a hamstring injury.

Doubts persist over defensive quartet Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin, Antolin Alcaraz and Seamus Coleman, as well as midfielders Ross Barkley and Steven Pienaar.

Opta facts

• There have been more red cards in the Merseyside derby than in any other fixture in Barclays Premier League history (20).
• Romelu Lukaku has scored four goals in four Barclays Premier League appearances against Liverpool.
• Steven Gerrard has netted seven Premier League goals against Everton (all from open play), only against Aston Villa (12) and Newcastle (8) has he netted more. No player has netted more in Merseyside derbies.

Previous game's starting line-ups