Hello everyone, Simon here, stepping in for the remainder of this one. With Liverpool obviously focusing in different directions, this is a fabulous opportunity for Everton to bank their first Anfield win since the mesolithic era, but there’s enough talent in the home ranks to make it more than interesting.
Everton, meanwhile, will likely not have forgotten being dumped out by their rivals at the same stage, in the same stadium, two years ago. That was Virgil van Dyke’s debut, and as such the beginning of a new era at Anfield. They will be glad not to have to face the Dutchman today, but less pleased about the presence of Divock Origi, who has five goals in four outings in this fixture.
That said, they’ll surely fancy themselves to bloody their neighbours’ noses here, especially under a manager who has one more FA Cup on his CV than Jurgen Klopp. Ancelotti’s refusal to grant Moise Kean a rare start ahead of the in-form duo Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison is a declaration of intent: Everton are here to win.
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Of course, Liverpool’s young lads have already been given a taste of top-level football with that absurd, seesawing penalty shootout win against Arsenal earlier in the season. That was magnificent entertainment all round, but not the sort of performance you’d want to be replicating too often. This fixture comes with the added pressure of being a notoriously spicy derby fixture under the lights, so cool heads will be required.
Well then. A bit of a pick-and-mix selection from Jurgen Klopp, who has entrusted senior players like James Milner and Adam Lallana to help coach the likes of Neco Williams and Curtis Jones (both 18) through the game. The pick of Liverpool’s youngsters, though, is winger Harvey Elliott – yet all eyes will be on debutant Takumi Minamino, who’ll be looking to replicate his lively recent Champions League performances against, er, Liverpool.
As for Everton, Carlo Ancelotti has picked a much stronger lineup, and that striking partnership of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin – who have scored a goal a game between them over December – will be hoping to get some joy against a Liverpool backline continuing two youngsters. Gylfi Sigursson, too, will surely be looking to sneak into space behind a Liverpool midfield that features no holding player of any real pedigree.
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Team news!
Liverpool: Adrian; Milner, Gomez, Phillips, Williams; Lallana, Chirivella, Jones, Elliott; Minamino, Origi.
Subs: Kelleher, Mane, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Brewster, Hoever, Larouci.
Everton: Pickford; Mina, Holgate, Coleman, Digne; Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Sidibe, Walcott; Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Stekelenberg, Baines, Keane, Delph, Bernard, Davies, Kean.
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