MY ACCOUNT
Liverpool and Everton meet in the 240th Merseyside derby at Anfield today and there has arguably never been a greater gulf in class between them.
While the Reds are pursuing an unprecedented Quadruple of major honours, the Toffees are fighting to retain the top-flight status they have held since 1954.
Mind the gap
Back in the 1980s, Liverpool and Everton were the top two teams in English football, winning eight league titles between them during the decade.
While neither side was able to replicate those successes during the early part of the Premier League era, the turn of the century did at least see Liverpool winning honours both domestically and abroad, while Everton were regular European contenders under David Moyes.
Liverpool have continued to progress since Jurgen Klopp’s arrival as manager in 2015, winning the Champions League in 2019 before adding a previously elusive first Premier League crown 12 months later.
Even during those successes, Everton were still competitive in the Premier League, with the Toffees securing four top-10 finishes across the last five seasons.
However, with Liverpool chasing the most successful campaign in their history this term, the Toffees are staring down the barrel of relegation to the Championship.
Can anyone stop Liverpool?
When Manchester United completed an historic Treble when winning the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in the same season in 1999, nobody was expecting that achievement to be replicated anytime soon.
However, Liverpool can not only match those successes, but also better them.
They have already sewn up the Carabao Cup this season after beating Chelsea in the final at Wembley back in February.
The Reds will face Chelsea again in next month’s FA Cup final, while LaLiga outfit Villarreal stand in their way of a place in the Champions League showpiece.
The Premier League title could also be heading back to Merseyside, with Liverpool aiming to move back to within a point of rivals Manchester City at the top of the standings with victory over their local rivals today.
Championship football at Goodison?
Everton have spent the last 68 seasons in the top flight of English football since earning promotion way back in 1954, with only Arsenal currently enjoying a longer consecutive run in the division.
That record has arguably never come under more threat than it has this season, with Frank Lampard’s side currently sitting just a place and a point above the relegation zone.
And the Toffees could drop into the bottom three if Burnley better their result when they host Wolves.
There is a real possibility that Everton could be facing the likes of Blackpool, Preston and Bristol City in the second tier next season, while Liverpool could be celebrating a glut of trophy successes.
History favours Liverpool
Just as the gap between the two Merseyside rivals has undoubtedly grown over recent times, Liverpool have long held the monopoly when the two sides have gone head-to-head too.
Everton’s 2-0 victory at Anfield last season was their first win at the home of their near neighbours since 1999, as well as their first success of any note against the Reds since 2010 — a run of 23 matches.
If Toffees supporters had been hoping that victory would kick start a run of positive results in the fixture, they were soon brought back down to earth by Liverpool’s 4-1 success at Goodison earlier this season.
A similar result appears likely at Anfield and it is hard to remember a time when the gap between the Merseyside rivals has been so vast..
