Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is “very confident” that new signing Darwin Nunes will not be fired up again if he is targeted by Everton players on Saturday. The 23-year-old Uruguay striker is available for the Merseyside derby after serving a three-match ban. Nunez was sent off on his home debut last month for headbutting Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen. “It will never happen again? I don’t know, but I’m sure nothing will happen in the next game,” Klopp said. After Nunez was sent off for the second time in his career, Klopp spoke to the former Benfica striker about not letting opposition defenders compete with him. “He’s a great young man, but he also has feelings,” Klopp said. He made a mistake but we didn’t talk for 15 whole days about it, telling him ‘you need to calm down’. “The way we want to think in these situations is that we give back with football,” added the German coach. “If Darwin is playing then he has to be ready for those things. When a player talks to you a lot or is really physical then he is not on his game and [Nunez] he must use these moments as well. “If the other guy is too busy and wants to distract him, you just have to use it from a football point of view. “For the Crystal Palace game, when the defender is looking for that continuous contact, then you go from there and decide when to start the move.”
GROUP NEWS
Everton striker Neil Maupay is set to make his debut after being ineligible for the tie at Leeds United, while new signing Idrissa Gueye may also feature. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucoure are back in training but not yet available. Liverpool welcome back Darwin Nunes after suspension, while Diogo Jota is back in training. Jordan Henderson remains sidelined after being substituted with a hamstring problem in the win over Newcastle United and Liverpool are still waiting to learn the full extent of the injury. New loanee Arthur is not expected to receive international clearance until Saturday, but Jurgen Klopp hopes he will be available to face Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday.
PREDICTION BY CHRIS SUTTON
Everton are yet to win a game and they are not going to start here. They have Idrissa Gueye back and Neal Maupay should be available, but Liverpool won comfortably at Goodison last season. I don’t think it will be easy for them, but I expect them to come out on the right side. Mo Salah hasn’t stepped up yet and Liverpool really need to find consistency, which they are working hard to get through at the moment, but I think he will have a lot of quality, even though Everton will be extremely aggressive at Goodison. Prediction: 1-2 Chris Sutton vs Rapper Juice Menace full predictions
MATCH DETAILS
Head to head
Everton have won just one of their last 23 Premier League games against Liverpool, a 2-0 win at Anfield in February 2021. Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 11 league games away to Everton (D3, D8) since losing 2-0 in October 2010. The Reds can win back-to-back games at Goodison Park for the first time after three wins between 2007 and 2009. Everton have won four of their last five Premier League Merseyside derbies when they scored the opening goal (losing the other), but those five games span a 17-year period from 2004 to 2021. The Toffees’ current run of 11 Premier League home games without a win against Liverpool is their longest in the top flight at Goodison against one opponent. The Merseyside derby has seen an unrivaled 22 red cards in the Premier League era.
Everton
Everton could make it four consecutive Premier League games for the first time since their run of four ended in November 2012, a run that included a 2-2 home draw with Liverpool. The Toffees are averaging five shots on target per game in the Premier League this season, their highest since 2016-17 and up from their average of 3.6 last season. In 2022, all six of Everton’s Premier League defeats at Goodison Park have been by one goal (four 1-0, two 3-2). The most recent club to win a top-flight away game against the Toffees by more than one goal was Liverpool, in a 4-1 victory last season. The Blues can go without a win in each of their opening three home games for the first time since 2014-15 under Roberto Martinez. Frank Lampard has lost all four of his Premier League meetings with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, with his sides conceding at least two goals each time. Lampard made 80 Premier League appearances as a manager (57 for Chelsea, 23 for Everton). He scored 69 points in his first 40 games, but only 49 points in the 40 games since. Anthony Gordon, 21, can become the youngest Everton player to score in three consecutive Premier League games since Romelu Lukaku did it aged 20 in October 2013 and the youngest Englishman since 19-year-old Francis Jeffers September 2000. Seamus Coleman is set to make his 18th Premier League appearance in the Merseyside derby, equaling the Everton record held by Tim Howard, Tony Hibbert, Leighton Baines and Leon Osman.
Liverpool
Liverpool have scored 40 90th minute winners in the Premier League, 12 more than any other team. They are yet to win on the road this season, having won seven of their last eight away games in the league in 2021-22. Liverpool could lose back-to-back Premier League away games for the first time since February 2017 (2-0 at Hull City and 3-1 at Leicester City). The Reds last failed to win any of their first three away league games in a single season in 2010, when they went four without a win under Roy Hodgson. Liverpool have scored in 52 of their last 53 Premier League games. The exception was a 1-0 defeat to Leicester City on 28 December 2021. Three of Mohamed Salah’s four Premier League goals for Liverpool against Everton came at Goodison Park. Only Michael Owen, with four, has scored more away goals for the Reds against the Toffees in the competition. Salah has scored 144 goals and 49 assists in the Premier League since making his debut in February 2014. During that time Raheem Sterling is the only player to reach 100 goals and 50 assists (107 goals, 53 assists) despite Salah spending two and a half seasons in Serie A. Darwin Nunez can become the second player to score in both of his first two Premier League away appearances for Liverpool, emulating Jan Molby in August 1992.
Predict Everton’s starting line-up for the next game – remember you can change the line-up! Select formation Confirm group Predict Liverpool’s starting line-up for the next game – remember you can change the line-up! Select formation Confirm group
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