Liverpool’s final trip to Goodison Park promises to be an emotional occasion, with Mohamed Salah a huge threat to Everton‘s chaotic defence.
The Reds head across Stanley Park for the last time on Saturday lunchtime, in what is a huge Premier League game for both sides.
Arne Slot‘s Liverpool men slipped up at Newcastle on Wednesday, so a response is vital at Goodison against a Blues team who thumped Wolves 4-0 in midweek.
With the derby edging closer, we spoke to Everton fan and writer Sam Whyte (@SamWhyte) to preview a significant afternoon for so many reasons.
How happy are you with Everton’s season so far?
We’ve had a nightmare really.
If nothing else, you’d expect a Sean Dyche team to be defensively organised, but chaos at the back combined with a terminal lack of goals has made for really grim watching.
A good result against Wolves was desperately needed, so hopefully, we can carry some of that momentum forward.
What’s your stance on Dyche’s future?
Dyche has always felt like a bit of a supply teacher providing crisis cover.
It goes to show how we retcon an entire season based on recency bias because I’m intrigued to see how he does off the back of a big win.
The Friedkin takeover will be the acid test.
Who have been Everton’s best players? Who has struggled?
Iliman Ndiaye has been a bright spark in an otherwise grim season.
He is nippy, technically proficient and incisive.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s goal drought and the general timidity of his play has been sad to see. I’m hoping bagging two against Wolves will rejuvenate him.
The psychological impact of a poor run on strikers is remarkable.
How do you feel about the move away from Goodison? Right time?
Absolutely. A ground move has been mooted for at least as long as I’ve supported Everton and Bramley Moore looks incredible.
That’s coupled with financial stability in the long-term that a fancy new ground brings.
Your reminder that you’ve only got a few months left to use the pub quiz question “which football league ground is closest to the Mersey?” (Edgeley Park)
What are your thoughts on Arne Slot at Liverpool so far?
Disappointingly good.
Arne Slot seems to have provided some real continuity and the change has looked almost seamless.
You often see new managers wanting to pointedly put their stamp on a team and I think he’s been wise to avoid that.
How do you assess the title race?
It’s Liverpool’s to lose.
I think Arsenal will be your closest challengers, but Man City being stuck in a rut seems like your chance to win the title in front of fans.
What are your best and worst memories of this fixture?
It’s hard to top last spring because we’d been so poor going into it and managed to summon a definitive performance seemingly from nowhere.
With this being an early kickoff, which I don’t think anyone particularly enjoys, I think it’ll be that one that lives long in the memory.
The 4-1 defeat at Goodison Park in December 2021 was a low point.
You want a derby to at least be a contest and the one thing you want to avoid is meekly rolling over.
Looking ahead to Saturday, where will the key battles take place?
It’s gonna be a case of defensive organisation on our part.
Mo Salah seems to be scoring for fun, so it’s really about neutralising him if at all possible.
What’s your prediction?
A scrappy 0-0 would suit me just fine, but I daren’t predict how bad it could get if we concede early.
I just want us to make a game of it.
