MY ACCOUNT
The records and statistics are there to be broken, so we are told, and never was that more true than on Everton’s most recent trip to fierce rivals Liverpool in February 2021.
An early Richarlison strike and Gylfi Sigurdsson’s late sealer from the penalty spot earned Everton a 2-0 win, snapping the Toffees’ 22-year wait for victory at Anfield.
That success, coming on the back of a 20-game winless run away to Liverpool in the Premier League, gave Everton bragging rights and moved them level on points with the Reds.
Fourteen months on from that game, though, and the fortunes of the rival clubs could not be much different.
While Liverpool are still on track for an unprecedented Quadruple of Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Champions League, relegation is a real possibility for Everton.
The stakes could not be much higher in this latest encounter at Anfield, then, in a contest that will have huge permutations at both ends of the division.
Liverpool targeting rare derby double
That aforementioned defeat in this corresponding fixture last season was the only time Liverpool have lost to Everton in their past 22 Premier League encounters.
The Reds eased to a 4-1 win when the sides last met four months ago, but only once in the past 10 seasons – in 2016-17 – have they completed the league double in this fixture.
While Everton have struggled for victories against their neighbours, they have at least managed to claim plenty of draws down the years.
Indeed, no Premier League fixture has finished level more often than this one, with the sides playing out 24 draws in total.
Red cards and late drama
The Merseyside derby is also out in front in another couple of categories, namely the most red cards issued, proving this game lives up to its reputation as being a fierce contest.
Twenty-two red cards have been dished out in 59 previous Premier League encounters, which is five more than any other fixture.
Liverpool versus Everton has also witnessed the most 90th-minute winners in the competition’s history, with five goals being scored in added time at the end of a game.
They don’t like Sundays
On the form book alone, Everton do not stand a chance this weekend.
The Toffees have lost 10 of their last 11 away league games, including each of the last six, which is their worst-such run since going eight without a point in 1994.
Unsurprisingly, then, Everton have won fewer away points than any Premier League side this term with just six, whereas Liverpool’s 42 home points is more than anyone else.
Yet Sunday may just be the best time for Frank Lampard’s men to face the team from across Stanley Park.
Having won 14 straight home Premier League matches on that day of the week, Liverpool have since won just two of their last seven Sunday fixtures, losing two of those.
Salah out to shine
Amid ongoing questions over his future, Mohamed Salah returned to form by scoring his first goals in seven matches for Liverpool in the midweek win over Manchester United.
Everton need no telling of Salah’s eye for goal as the Egypt international was on target twice in December’s reverse fixture, with Jordan Henderson and Diogo Jota also netting.
Salah is now out to become the first Liverpool player since Dick Forshaw in 1925-26 to score multiple goals in both league meetings with Everton in a single campaign.
All eyes may be on Salah, but back-up striker Divock Origi has also inflicted his fair share of pain on Everton.
Origi’s five Premier League goals against Everton are the most he has managed against a single side, and three of those have proved to be the winning strike.
