Whoever comes on top here will surely take home the points tomorrow…
Everton and Liverpool play each other in Saturday’s Premier League late kick-off with both sides having under-performed somewhat so far in the season.
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This Saturday’s derby will be Steven Gerrard’s last before he jets off to Los Angeles to play in the MLS with LA Galaxy at the end of the season.
The Reds will start the day off in seventh position and four points off the Champions League places so, will be dying to stay in touch with the top four and take all three points at Goodison Park.
The Toffees on the other hand sit in 12th and are seven points away from dropping into the relegation zone, somewhere no-one predicted Roberto Martinez and his side would be come the end of the season.
It’s likely to be a full blooded affair like most Merseyside derbies and both sides will be doing all the can to triumph, CaughtOffside takes a look at five battles which will likely decide the outcome.
Martin Skrtel vs. Romelu Lukaku
This one will be a physical battle, something which neither of these players are shy of and it’s not an unreasonable expectation for cards of either colour to be issued to one or both of them.
Both of these men are incredibly important for their respective sides and with Martin Skrtel fresh from a winning performance against Bolton Wanderers in midweek, he is likely to be full of confidence and ready for the man mountain of Romelu Lukaku.
Coutinho vs. Gareth Barry
After scoring the winning goal in the Bolton midweek game, an absolute peach, Coutinho will be brimming with confidence and likely to be a handful for England international Gareth Barry.
Liverpool’s Brazilian has bags of flair and creativity which Barry will want to stifle as early on as possible, so a few meaty challenges can be expected to fly in on the attacking midfielder to put him off his game.
The Everton midfielder will have to be on his game all day though and will have taken note of Coutinho’s late late show at Bolton.
Kevin Mirallas vs. Lucas Leiva
Everton’s Belgian attacking force will have to be on form to get past Lucas who has been more of a regular fixture in Liverpool’s side recently.
Kevin Mirallas has been touted with a move to bigger things for Everton in the Telegraph but games don’t come much bigger than the Merseyside derby.
Raheem Sterling vs. Leighton Baines
If Liverpool are to overcome their near neighbours in the game at Goodison Park then Raheem Sterling will have to be on form against his England counterpart Leighton Baines.
Too often the Everton full-back is guilty of leaving gaps at the back as he bombs forward to give his attacking influence to the game and this could leave gaps at the back which Sterling’s lightening pace could exploit.
Phil Jagielka vs. Daniel Sturridge
Liverpool’s attacking spearhead is unlikely to be one hundred percent for Saturday’s game but one gets the impression that a half fit Daniel Sturridge is better than none at all.
His lack in fitness could give Phil Jagielka a reprieve and a chance to catch his breath once in a while at Goodison Park but as everyone saw last week against West Ham United, the England international doesn’t need much of a sniff to snatch a goal.