View: Moyes to keep celebrations muted after PL announcement for Everton vs Liverpool

David Moyes is unlikely to be pleased as Chris Kavanagh has been appointed as referee for Everton‘s Premier League clash with Liverpool.

Everton welcome fierce rivals Liverpool to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday afternoon with the aim of closing the gap on the top five.

Not only is there plenty on the line in terms of league position, it will also be the first Merseyside derby to be staged at the Toffees’ state-of-the-art new home.

And it was confirmed on Monday that Kavanagh will be the man in the middle for the historic showdown.

Based on Kavanagh’s most recent refereeing display in an Everton match, however, it is not good news for Moyes.

David Moyes was annoyed by Chris Kavanagh after Brighton game

Kavanagh most recently took charge of an Everton game at the end of January as he oversaw the 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Beto struck late on against Brighton to cancel out Pascal Gross’s opener at the Amex Stadium.

Moyes was understandably delighted with the manner of Everton’s late leveller, with the Scotsman leaving his technical area to celebrate.

In one of the harshest pieces of officiating you are ever likely to see, Kavanagh reached into his pocked and booked Moyes for having the audacity to celebrate in the manner he did.

Moyes was not happy with that at all and even had a dig in his post-match press conference.

“We’re killing it that the managers can’t come out of their technical area to celebrate a goal, knee sliding, do things which give you people quite a bit to talk about,” Moyes said.

Moyes will be wary of something similar next weekend, but at the same time a yellow card – more even – would be entirely worth it if it means celebrating a late goal against Liverpool.

What is Everton’s record with Kavanagh in charge?

That Brighton draw was one of 19 Everton games that Kavanagh has officiated, dating back to a 4-0 win for the Toffees over Yeovil Town in the EFL Cup in August 2016.

Everton have won six, drawn six and lost seven of those previous games, so it is fair to say it is an extremely mixed record.

Prior to the Brighton stalemate, Kavanagh oversaw Everton’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in December, coming on the back of successive losses with the English whistler in the middle.

In fact, Everton had failed to win six in a row with Kavanagh as referee, remarkably drawing 0-0 in four in a row.

If this Merseyside derby encounter ends that way, at least Moyes will not be at any sort of risk of being cautioned for celebrating.

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

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