Match Preview

'Better late than never' has been the story of Arne Slot’s side early into the new campaign, with five of their nine goals coming beyond the 80th minute, while two match-winners have come in stoppage time.

On Saturday, they have a chance to win their first five games in a Premier League campaign for the first time since the 2019-20 season, when they won their only league title under Jürgen Klopp.

Liverpool have dominated Everton at their home ground, winning six of their previous seven home matches against them in this competition, holding them off the scoresheet in those last four meetings at Anfield.

Another triumph this weekend would mark the first time in decades that Liverpool claims five consecutive victories at home against the Toffees, last doing so between February 1933 and January 1937.

While they have squandered their share of 2-0 advantages both domestically and in Europe, the Reds can record a third successive clean sheet on Saturday, marking their longest such run since September 2024.

They have conceded at least once in five of their previous six Premier League contests at Anfield, with their only shutout in that time coming in their matchday three showdown with Arsenal (1-0).

Early into the new season, Everton has been one of the many surprise stories with seven points after five matches, six more than they had at this stage of the previous campaign.

David Moyes’ side have won three of their last four away matches in this competition, netting three or more goals on two of those occasions. 

Coming into this weekend, they are on a four-match unbeaten run across all competitions, posting three clean sheets over that span.

At the same time, they have points in seven of their last eight league fixtures, with their only defeat coming away to Leeds United on matchday on the opening day.

There is a lot of bad blood when they meet Liverpool, particularly when Moyes is in charge of the Toffees.

This derby has seen more red cards than any other fixture in Premier League history, with 11 of those expulsions coming during the Scotsman’s two stints as Everton boss.

Everton have won just two of their previous 29 Merseyside Derbies in this competition, with their last triumph at Anfield coming in 2021 (2-0).

Team News

The Reds should have a relatively fit squad for this encounter, including Curtis Jones, who has missed two games for an unspecified reason.

Meanwhile, Stefan Bajcetic has a sore hamstring, and Rhys Williams has an unknown injury. 

Alexander Isak played 58 minutes in his Liverpool debut on Wednesday in their Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid (3-2).

It will be interesting to see if Slot plays him and Hugo Ekitiké together or puts either of them up top as a lone striker.

Mohamed Salah can equal Steven Gerrard for the most Premier League goals versus Everton on Sunday, with the Egyptian at eight, one fewer than the ex-Liverpool captain.

On the Everton side, Jarrad Branthwaite has a hamstring strain, and Vitaliy Mykolenko has an unspecified issue, with neither expected to feature on Saturday.

Jack Grealish has enjoyed a resurgence with the Toffees, leading the league in assists with four, and the Man City loanee was named Player of the Month for August.

England and Everton’s first-choice keeper Jordan Pickford has two clean sheets in his last three league fixtures, stopping the only Aston Villa targeted effort last week.

Predicted XI

Liverpool: Alisson; Frimpong, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitiké

Everton: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Garner; Gueye, Iroegbunam; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Beto