Alan Hansen’s Premier League Preview: Everton v Liverpool
Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League in midweek while Everton slumped to their 6th defeat in just 13 league games at the KC Stadium. At the start of the season few would have expected the Reds to be sitting 7th, thirteen points behind the league leaders and the Blues 14th just four points above the drop zone at this stage. Unfortunately that’s the situation facing these two great Merseyside clubs following their poor starts to the 2009/10 campaign.
Both sides have been uncharacteristically poor defensively with Everton conceding 23 goals and Liverpool 20 which makes this weekend’s Merseyside derby even more difficult to predict than usual. Confidence won’t be high in either camp so this could well be a war of attrition as both teams attempt to play their way into form. One thing’s for certain a goal-less draw looks an impossibility as neither side looks able to keep their opposition at bay plus these two have not played out a 0-0 draw at Goodison in 9 years.
These Merseyside derbies are usually hard fought, high tempo affairs and I expect this match to be no different. There’s been 17 red cards in this fixture more than in any other Premier League meeting in history, so don’t be surprised if the number of players who end this game is less than 22. After all, no side has had more red cards than Liverpool this season (3). David Moyes will be hoping that he can end a record of 7 red cards for his Everton players in the last seven league derby games at Goodison.
Liverpool may have been beaten at Goodison in last season’s FA Cup clash but they’ve still dominated the recent head to head record with one defeat and 6 wins in the last nine league meetings. They’ve also won three of the last four league trips to Goodison (one defeat). This may well be a very good time for the Reds to play Everton. There seems to be a lot of doom and gloom around Goodison at the moment with the new stadium plans rejected and the team performing poorly on the pitch. If any game could lift the Liverpool players after their Champions League exit, this is the one.
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Everton have only won two of their six home league games this season although they are unbeaten in their last five league games at Goodison. Only Arsenal on the opening day of the campaign have actually beaten them. Surprisingly they’ve struggled for goals with just nine at home despite scoring the same amount of home goals as Arsenal in 2008/09. In fact, only five teams have scored less. Of those nine strikes, four have come from top scorer Louis Saha who will be key to any hope Everton have of winning this one. He is sure to get chances too as Liverpool have conceded two goals in each of their last three away games.
This match will be frantic from the off but whoever wins will gain some much-needed confidence. I am backing Liverpool to do just that whether Fernando Torres makes his return from injury or not. If the Spaniard does return that will be a massive boost to the team as he not only is a superb player but has also scored 3 goals in three league appearances against the Toffeemen.
The Reds may have lost their last three away league games but Everton won’t make it four as I expect Liverpool to bounce back from European disappointment with a morale boosting win. Therefore, I’m backing the away win on Premier 10 this weekend with a £45,000 rollover there to be won for just a £1 stake.
Tags: Alan Hansen, Everton, Liverpool, Merseyside Derby, Premier 10, Premier League
