Arne Slot: During his pre-match presser, Liverpool’s head coach was asked about the possibility of playing his summer signings Alexander Isak or Hugo Ekitike up front in the same team, either today or at some point in the future. “I consider many things and it depends always on how well they are doing,” he said. “If both of them are in the best form of their life then you consider more to play them together, but it is quite clear that we have a certain structure of 4-3-3.”
On today’s derby: “It’s going to be a difficult game. I don’t know exactly what they are going to do as they played long balls last season but are playing more out from the back this year. Our focus should be on what we need to do to win the game and that is being intense and winning duels.”
Slot also praised Everton for the respect and solidarity they showed in sending players and club officials to lay flowers at Anfield following the passing of Diogo Jota this summer. “They showed their respect and in these moments of time, it is so nice to see that in a time of tragedy, the respect to both is still there,” he said.
Everton striker Beto has also revealed that his Portuguese compatriot Jota texted him upon hearing he was signing for Everton, offering to help him out with any of the more mundane administrative aspects of moving to a new country in order to help him settle.
An email: “Greetings from Poland, where I’m struggling to find a pub showing the Merseyside derby and my mates, as is the Polish way, devote weekends to in-laws and grandparents,” writes Peadar De Burca. “The Guardian MBM is my Plan B, so I’ll be relying on your sturdy, no-frills prose to conjure the white knuckle exhilaration of one of football’s greatest rivalries. No pressure.”
Plan B? Sturdy? No frills? With backhanded compliments like that it’s small wonder Peadar’s Polish pals have fobbed him off by pretending to go visit their out-laws and elders, while secretly arranging to meet in a bar he doesn’t know about that is showing the game.
David Moyes: “This has always been an incredibly difficult fixture for me because I’ve always come up against really good Liverpool teams,” said Everton’s head coach in his pre-match press conference. “I think it’s easier if you’re the team that has the stronger squad, but we’re up against it so we have to go there and fight for everything.”
On his opposite number, Arne Slot: “He has done a brilliant job. They have gone out and bought some top players, which has strengthened them again. They have definitely looked to improve even more than last season.”
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: 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.
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 Ryan 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.
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.