View: Everton must end unwanted Merseyside derby stats as Liverpool target niche history

Everton will hope to improve their wretched Merseyside derby record this century, while Liverpool are targeting a niche bit of history.

Heading into Sunday’s fixture at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton appear to be in a somewhat tranquil state, whereas all is not well at Liverpool.

After being dumped out of the FA Cup and Champions League this month, pressure is ramping up on Arne Slot, as question marks mount over his future.

A win for the Dutchman against Everton would go a long way to allaying those fears, but David Moyes‘ side will feel the Reds are ripe for the picking.

Everton will fancy their chances against Liverpool, but the Toffees will not underestimate a side that are three places and five points better off than them.

Everton’s unwanted statistics

According to BBC Sport, eighth-placed Everton have won just one of their last 14 Premier League home games against Liverpool, but 10 of those have been draws.

Indeed, this is their first meeting at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Everton hoping that their new stadium can be their lucky charm.

Heading into this contest, Everton have won a measly five of their last 52 Merseyside derbies in the league since the start of 2000. They have a 9.6 per cent win rate, with 20 draws, and 27 losses.

Incidentally, Liverpool have won at 59 of the 61 grounds they have visited in the Premier League.

If they beat Everton, who have had a mixed record at home this term, they will become the first team to win at 60 different stadiums in the history of the Premier League.

Victory for Everton would see them hit the 50-point mark in a Premier League season for the first time since Carlo Ancelotti achieved that in the 2021-22 season (59 points).

And a defeat for Liverpool would see them lose more than 10 league games in a season for the first time since 2014-15, when Brendan Rodgers was in charge.

Europe on the line for both teams

A win for either side will greatly boost their chances of playing in Europe next season, with Everton most likely to qualify for the Conference League, while Liverpool are targeting the Champions League.

This is a good time for Everton to play Liverpool, particularly with striker Hugo Ekitike suffering a long-term injury.

For Everton, they want to return to European football for the first time since 2018. For Liverpool, not making it into Europe’s elite competition is likely to signal the end for Slot at Anfield.

If Moyes’ side comes out on top, they could even dream of Champions League football. Either way, a raucous atmosphere is expected on the blue side of Merseyside on Sunday.

Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Goodison Park.

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