The 245th edition of the iconic Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool gets Saturday’s Premier League action underway.
It will be an emotional fixture for the blue half of the city, marking the final encounter against crosstown rivals at the venue they’ve called home for more than 130 years.
Goodison will retire at the end of the 2024/25 season, but whether Sean Dyche will be in the dugout when the Toffees switch to their new state-of-the-art stadium remains debatable.
Poised to turn his fortunes around after a heavily disappointing league start, Dyche warned Liverpool of Everton’s set-piece prowess in his pre-derby conference.
Set pieces were crucial in midweek top-flight action as Everton humbled fellow relegation rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 at home, delivering an emphatic response to an identical loss at Manchester United.
Fresh off snapping a disheartening five-game winless league run (D3, L2), Dyche’s charges seek back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time since winning three in a row in April.
Encouragingly for the home fans, a 2-0 triumph against Liverpool formed part of that streak, halting Everton’s five-game winless run against the Reds (D1, L4).
Defensive solidity could be decisive again as Dyche’s charges take on the division’s second-most prolific team in the division.
Danger man
Despite their sub-par form and that forgettable afternoon at Old Trafford, Everton’s backline has excelled, racking up three clean sheets in their last four league matches.
Any hope of adding another shutout to the tally will likely hinge on keeping Mohamed Salah quiet. That task is nothing short of Herculean.
Salah’s future at Anfield has headlined the Liverpool transfer news this season, with the Egyptian’s contract running out at the end of the season amid speculation linking him with a move to Saudi Arabia.
However, fans should enjoy the 32-year-old while he’s here.
His second-half brace, compounded with an assist for Curtis Jones, inspired the Reds to a goal-glutted 3-3 draw at Newcastle United, solidifying his reputation as Liverpool’s driving force.
Of the 29 goals Arne Slot’s men have netted in the Premier League this season, Salah has had his hand in 21 of them, showing how significant it will be for Everton to neutralise his influence.
Scoring woes
Wednesday’s thrashing of Wolves was a refreshing experience for the Toffees faithful, but it’s hard to tell whether it was a sign of resurgence or just a one-off.
Everton have failed to find the net in half of their Premier League games this season (7/14), ominously drawing a blank in three of their seven at Goodison.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s rotten patch carries most of the blame, as the 27-year-old has emerged as one of the most wasteful finishers in England’s top flight.
Aware of his star striker’s rough spell, Dyche has benched the Englishman in the last two matches, ‘challenging’ him to give more amid Arsenal rumours, says The Telegraph.
Calvert-Lewin’s return to form could be a season-defining moment for the Toffees, especially with Beto failing to prove he can be an upgrade on the Sheffield United academy graduate.
Goodison homage
Given a significant disparity in quality and current mood, avoiding defeat would be massive for Everton.
It would not only bolster their spirits but also help them build momentum after steering five points clear of the bottom three.
Despite facing long odds, upsetting Slot’s table-topping side isn’t beyond the Toffees.
Dyche’s charges seek a historic feat on Saturday, bidding to post back-to-back league victories against the Reds for the first time since 1984/85.
Achieving that goal would be a fitting tribute to Goodison, where they last got the better of Liverpool in consecutive league meetings between 1992 and 1994.
Everton’s five-match unbeaten top-flight streak on home turf can inspire confidence, even though they’ve been victorious in just four of their last 47 Premier League games against table-topping teams (D9, L34).