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Liverpool v Everton: Pre-Match Betting Analysis
As the Premier League returns from the International break, we head straight into the action as Liverpool host Merseyside rivals Everton in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off. Liverpool have a chance to further consolidate a top 4 spot as Arsenal and Man City meet on Sunday. Klopp’s men are unbeaten at home however in the second half of the season have not quite replicated their early season relentless form. The news of Adam Lallana’s absence will come as a big blow for Klopp, Lallana often spearheads Liverpool’s pressing while he links up well with Roberto Firmino and Phillipe Coutinho from a slightly deeper position. Both teams have scored in each of Liverpool’s last 4 matches while they have kept just 1 clean sheet in their last 5 league home games.
Everton have been in great of form late. Ronald Koeman’s men have lost just 1 of their last 12 and now have an outside chance of a top 4 as they lie 6 points adrift. Romelu Lukaku is the league’s leading goalscorer and his continue his rich vein of form despite constant talk over his future. The Toffees have scored 2 or more goals in 4 of their last 5 matches and although they have won just 2 of their last 6 away games, they lost just one of those which indicates they are tough to beat on the road. Seamus Coleman’s unfortunate injury while away with Ireland is a massive loss for Everton while Ramiro Funes Mori is also out for the season after picking up an injury with Argentina. Morgan Scheiderlin has also been ruled out for this game. Mason Holgate and the experienced Phil Jagielka are likely to come into Everton’s back 4. Everton are 18 games without a win away at Anfield. You have to go back to 2010 for Everton’s last league victory against Liverpool, that’s a run of 11 games without a win. Everton are available at 4/1 if you fancy them to reverse that form.
Prices in terms of goals seem to very short ahead of this Merseyside Derby and given how unpredictable these fixtures can be, I prefer to focus on the bookings market. This fiery fixture has seen more red cards than any other in the Premier League era and with card-friendly Anthony Taylor in charge, I expect a lot of bookings to be shown at Anfield. Taylor has shown 4 or more cards in each of his last 4 Premier League games including 8 last time out when Stoke hosted Chelsea. At 2/1 Idrissa Gueye to shown a card is a massive price. The midfielder has been booked on occasions already this season and averages more attempted to tackles than any other Everton player this season. Emre Can at 5/2 and Roberto Firmino are also prices worth noting. Can is already Liverpool’s joint 2nd most booked player this season despite making significantly less starts than those around him and in his role of Liverpool’s deepest midfielder he may find himself with no option other than committing fouls to prevent Everton breaking on the counter. If Lucas Leiva does start he is also worth backing at 13/5 given the role he plays.
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