Key events
Everton: David Moyes has never won at Liverpool in 22 attempts but the arrival of Jack Grealish at Everton has enhanced his armoury and could trouble the champions. Will Unwin reports …
Liverpool: The Premier League’s record signing for a few weeks this summer until he wasn’t, Florian Wirtz has admitted he is still coming to terms with the intensity of the Premier League but Arne Slot has mounted a stirring defence of the German, describing him as “an artist who can be mean as well”. Words: Will Unwin.
Liverpool v Everton line-ups
Liverpool: Alisson, Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Ekitike.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Wirtz, Isak, Jones, Robertson, Frimpong, Ngumoha.
Everton: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Garner, Gueye, Mykolenko, Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Beto.
Subs: Travers, Patterson, McNeil, Barry, Dibling, Coleman, Alcaraz, Aznou, Iroegbunam.
Isak and Wirtz are on Liverpool’s bench
The news from Anfield is that Liverpool’s two record summer signings start their first Merseyside derby among the substitutes. Conor Bradley starts at right-back for the champions, while Dominik Szoboszlai is in midfield alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Thomas Gravenberch. Hugo Ekitike starts up front. Michael Keane continues deputising for Jarad Brantwaithe, who is not in Everton’s matchday squad and Beto starts up front.
Today’s match officials
Referee: Darren England
Assistants: Lee Betts and Scott Ledger
Fourth official: Bobby Madley
VAR: John Brooks
Assistant VAR: Akil Howson
Early team news
Liverpool boast a clean bill of health after the return from injury of midfiedler Curtis Jones, who wasn’t available for their past two games. Having played the best part of an hour on his debut for his new club against Atletico Madrid, Alexander Isak could start up front again. Alexis Mac Allister could be recalled to midfield for what promises to be a spicy encounter, while Slot has a decision to make in defence over whether to start Jeremie Frimpong, who played an hour on Wednesday after running from a hamstring injury, continue with Dominik Szoboszlai in a makeshift right-back role against Jack Grealish, or bring in Conor Bradley, who is more accustomed to playing at full-back.
Everton defenders Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitaliy Mykolenko are both in doubt for today’s game but haven’t been ruled out of contention by Moyes, who mentioned that a couple of other unspecified players have “knocks”. Having missed several good chances to win last weekend’s match against Aston Villa for his side, it will be interesting to see if the Everton coach keeps faith with Beto up front, or opts to start Thierno Barry, who has yet to score for the club he joined from Villarreal. The smart money would probably be on Beto getting the nod on the back of two good performances against Liverpool last season.
Premier League: Liverpool v Everton
In good news for Everton, their Merseyside rivals have been far from their best in the early stages of this season, even if it doesn’t seem to matter. Liverpool have won four out of four in the Premier League and on Wednesday night, scored yet another late goal to beat Atletico Madrid in their opening match of their Champions League campaign.
Everton go into this game having failed to take a point at Anfield in their last four visits, while their head coach, David Moyes, has failed to register a win at Liverpool’s ground in 22 attempts with different clubs. However, a fairly decent start to the season and the conspicuous return to form of Jack Grealish means that hopes of an upset are reasonably high. Kick-off at Anfield is at 12.30pm (BST) but we’ll have team news and build-up in the meantime.
