Liverpool vs. Everton: Team News, Live Stream, TV Info, Ticket News
Jurgen Klopp will get his first taste of the Merseyside derby on Wednesday night, as his Liverpool side welcome city rivals Everton to Anfield, with both sides looking to boost their fortunes in the Premier League.
Klopp's predecessor, Brendan Rodgers, was dismissed just hours after the last derby between the Reds and the Toffees, having watched his side take a 1-1 draw from Goodison Park, with help from a Danny Ings header.
Now it is Klopp's counterpart, Roberto Martinez, who is under pressure, and with Everton's poor form continuing throughout 2016, defeat to Liverpool could worsen the fracture in his relationship with the club's supporters.
Everton are without a win in five games, drawing their last three encounters against Watford, Crystal Palace and Southampton, respectively, while Liverpool are finding form at this crucial stage, buoyed by wins over Borussia Dortmund and Bournemouth in the past week.
As both managers will surely recognise, however, form takes a backseat for the Merseyside derby—so could Martinez grab a morale-boosting win at Anfield, or will Klopp's resurgent Reds continue their rise?
Date: Wednesday, 20 April
Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK only) / NBCSN (U.S. only)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK only) / NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)
Form Lines (Last 5 Games)
Liverpool: D-D-W-W-W
Everton: L-L-D-D-D
Team News
After naming a much-changed side for Sunday's trip to take on Bournemouth at Dean Court, Klopp is able to select from a rested and refreshed Liverpool squad as he looks for victory in his first Merseyside derby.
Divock Origi trudged off the pitch that afternoon with a back injury, while Kolo Toure was withdrawn in the second half after suffering cramp—but addressing reporters on Tuesday afternoon, Klopp revealed Origi was fit to return as he continued to navigate a congested schedule:
"In the game against Bournemouth, I think—and what I have heard so far is—it was cramp with Kolo.
Divock was only a little bit [of a problem] with the back—maybe from sitting on the bench! It was not a real issue.
He felt it a little bit in the game and so we left him out of training yesterday but that was only not to take a risk. So that is OK.
Before the [Bournemouth] game, Martin Skrtel had a little groin problem but with all the other things [players], there’s nothing new.
"
If Toure and Skrtel are both out, the centre-back pair will join Christian Benteke, Jordan Rossiter, Danny Ings and Joe Gomez on the sidelines.
Most concerning, however, is the continued absence of key midfielders Emre Can and Jordan Henderson, who are both set to miss the rest of the season through injury—but otherwise, the German finds himself in a strong position at the business end of 2015/16.
Meanwhile, Martinez finds his squad's miserable form compounded by a number of troubling injuries, particularly with key defensive duo Phil Jagielka and Seamus Coleman set to miss out on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the Spaniard provided an update on his ranks:
"Seamus Coleman and Phil Jagielka will definitely be out of the derby. It's too early to make a final decision before the weekend [against Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals].
We're going to assess tonight’s session for Aaron Lennon, Leighton Baines and Tom Cleverley, to have a final decision. They’re very, very close and we’ll have a better idea if they are available for tomorrow.
James McCarthy is back from suspension so that will be a clear difference from the squad we had at the weekend.
"
Last weekend saw Martinez name youngsters Tom Davies and Callum Connolly in his squad, as Everton were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Southampton, and both could feature again at Anfield, though the return of McCarthy swells his midfield ranks.
Tyias Browning and Tony Hibbert remain out with long-term injuries, magnifying the importance of Coleman and Baines' fitness to Everton's top-half hopes this season.
Predicted Lineups
Resting a number of key names for the trip to Bournemouth at the weekend, Klopp is likely to name a stronger starting lineup for what is a must-win clash regardless of the Reds' position in the table.
Debutant goalkeeper Danny Ward should step out, as Simon Mignolet returns between the sticks, with the Belgian likely commanding a back four of Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren, Mamadou Sakho and Alberto Moreno—though Jon Flanagan, on the bench on Sunday, could be fielded to fuel the intensity of the tie.
Without Can and Henderson, Klopp could stick with the midfield pairing of Joe Allen and 22-year-old academy product Kevin Stewart, after they showed promise alongside each other in Bournemouth.
If Klopp perseveres with his 4-2-3-1 setup, Stewart and Allen should provide a solid platform for Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge to build their attacks, with the likes of Origi, James Milner, Sheyi Ojo and Jordon Ibe in reserve.
With fewer options at his disposal, Martinez's starting lineup is unlikely to vary too much from Saturday's draw with Southampton—though the Everton manager will have one eye on the weekend's FA Cup semi-final.
Joel Robles is set to continue in goal, while Baines' return can accommodate for the loss of Coleman, with Bryan Oviedo switching to right-back, as Ramiro Funes Mori and John Stones continue at the heart of defence.
McCarthy's recovery could see the Republic of Ireland international return to partner Mohamed Besic in midfield, with Darron Gibson dropping to the substitutes' bench, while Ross Barkley should come in for Leon Osman.
After sitting out Saturday's draw at Goodison Park, Romelu Lukaku will be hoping to lead the line against a side he tormented back in October, with the Belgian flanked by Arouna Kone and Gerard Deulofeu.
Likely Liverpool XI: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Stewart, Allen; Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho; Sturridge
Likely Everton XI: Robles; Oviedo, Stones, Funes Mori, Baines; Besic, McCarthy, Barkley; Deulofeu, Kone, Lukaku
Players to Watch
Joe Allen
To the increasing bemusement of Liverpool supporters, Allen finds himself fighting for his future under Klopp; despite a long run of strong form throughout 2015/16.
The Welshman has been handed the perfect opportunity to prove his worth with Can and Henderson both injured, and as he highlighted against Bournemouth, he is able to assume the role of midfield general in their absence. At Dean Court, he paired off-ball tenacity with a composed, creative sheen.
Speaking after that win, Klopp told reporters Allen "deserves a future here, of course," though with the German conceding "we will see what happens" when it comes to a contract extension, further doubt was cast over the midfielder's long-term future at the club.
Allen seemingly must make himself indispensable to Klopp, and a dominant performance in the Merseyside derby could go a long way towards doing so.
Gerard Deulofeu
After an encouraging start to his second spell with Everton this season, Deulofeu's form has suffered as Martinez's side continue to battle for consistency in the league.
On his day, however, Deulofeu is one of Europe's most exciting young wingers, and he will be looking to prove his worth against a fellow Spaniard in Moreno. The Liverpool left-back has been caught out positionally at times this season, and Deulofeu's pace and trickery could provide Everton with an outlet in attack.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ (h/t Gerard Brand) ahead of Wednesday's game, Deulofeu admitted that "when we are winning 1-0 or 2-0, maybe we don't take responsibility together and say: 'Now it is time for defence together and no conceding,'" hinting at the need to take up a heightened defensive responsibility on Everton's right flank.
Whether Deulofeu can balance his attacking duties with providing cover for Oviedo at right-back remains to be seen, but if he is on form, the 22-year-old will be a key player for the Toffees at Anfield.
Key Battle
Daniel Sturridge vs. Everton's Centre-Backs
Sturridge was in sensational form at Dean Court on Sunday, as he continues his return to prominence following a number of frustrating injuries.
Liverpool's No. 15 operated as a complete centre-forward: stationing himself off the shoulder of Bournemouth's centre-backs as the Reds looked to counter, dropping deep to contribute to buildup play when his side were in possession and maintaining pressure on the Cherries' defence throughout.
It was a performance of true quality, and one that seemingly recognised the challenge posed by the improving Origi—and against Funes Mori and Stones on Wednesday night, Sturridge could be key.
Everton's defensive pair have endured muted form throughout 2015/16, with Stones in particular struggling to find consistency—seemingly distracted by a failed move to Chelsea last summer—and if they fail to establish a balance early on at Anfield, an in-form Sturridge will dominate.
Odds
Liverpool: 73/100
Everton: 433/100
Draw: 31/10
Odds via Odds Shark and correct at time of writing.
Ticket Information
For ticket information on all Premier League games, visit the official site or go to the ticket page on Liverpool's official website. Secondary ticket information for Liverpool can be found here.
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