Everton are set to be without seven first-team players for the Merseyside derby against Liverpool, but David Moyes could welcome back a key man for the crunch clash
Goodison Park is set for an emotional send-off tonight as Everton gear up for their final Merseyside derby at the legendary ground against arch-rivals Liverpool.
However, they’ll face the titanic battle – which could have huge ramifications for the Premier League title race with Liverpool hoping to go nine points clear of second placed Arsenal – without seven key first-team players.
Boss David Moyes has got his eyes on the prize, hellbent on nabbing precious Premier League points to dodge relegation. Despite a hiccup in his opening match back in charge, the Scot has managed to rally the Toffees to three consecutive league wins.
A triumph in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison before Everton move to their new stadium next season would give fans an unforgettable farewell to the historic stadium and some much-needed solace after their FA Cup loss to Bournemouth.
Full-back Vitalii Mykolenko missed out on that FA Cup agony due to calf problems, but Moyes has revealed the Ukrainian defender is back training and might just make it for the derby dust-up.
Among the gloom of the cup defeat, there was a silver lining in Charly Alcaraz’s stint after half-time. The fresh-faced signing from the January market dazzled and was inches away from scoring, swiftly becoming a fan favourite.
Grilled about whether Alcaraz could be in line for a starting role, Moyes said: “He’s done enough by his performance to start the game. Whether I do, is another thing. I think sometimes when you bring someone in, you don’t know how long it’ll take for someone to settle,” as per the Liverpool Echo, reports the Mirror.
He added: “I have to say, he settled very well in the game. He’s got Premier League experience, so he’s not completely new to this.”
Everton are gearing up for their next clash without Orel Mangala, the Lyon loanee currently sidelined with a significant injury. Yet, they’re getting a boost with James Garner back in the squad after his stunning performance in their 4-0 drubbing of Leicester in their previous league outing.
Moyes also gave an update on Tim Iroegbunam’s progress, saying: “We’re short with our squad at the moment. We’ve got Tim on the way back. He’s beginning to get himself back in a position where he’s ready to play. Jimmy Garner’s done a really good job in the two games he’s played.”
While Dwight McNeil and Armando Broja are still approximately six weeks out from returning to action, Seamus Coleman is showcasing his leadership off the pitch. Injured stars Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Youssef Chermiti are watching games from the sidelines, and there’s no word from the club on Nathan Patterson’s condition after missing the weekend’s match.
At Liverpool, coach Arne Slot remains optimistic that his main squad will handle the pressure of Goodison Park’s final Merseyside derby in better fashion than the “unacceptable” showing which led to their FA Cup exit at the hands of Plymouth.
The Dutch coach’s bold decision to rest nine players backfired spectacularly with a stunning 1-0 loss to the Championship’s bottom team. Despite fielding a strong starting line-up that included senior players such as Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota, and Luis Diaz, the Reds failed to penetrate the defence of their tenacious and well-drilled opposition.
Liverpool will be welcoming back top guns Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, and Cody Gakpo with Arsenal watching the result of the game intently as they bid to catch the Premier League leaders in the title race.
“It should have an impact because if you are working at a club like this you should compete for every trophy. To lose against Plymouth is not acceptable,” Slot said.
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“Now we have to show a different side of us because it wasn’t only the result, but the performance was far from what Liverpool’s standards are as well.”
Slot acknowledged the challenge ahead, adding: “It is probably going to be a fantastic atmosphere and that is never easy to play against because every single time they cross the halfway line or get a corner the fans will cheer for that and then you have to be mentally really strong as an away team to resist all that.
“You still have to be focused on what you have to do: defending the corner, defending the set-piece and when you have the ball be as calm as you can.
“It is not the first time for these players playing in an atmosphere like this. I hope they can focus on what they have to do but it is not only tactical, you also have to stand up those emotions.
“I noticed also in the Plymouth game the intensity of the tackles, how aggressive they were, but it was also definitely because of the emotions in the stadium so we have to be up for that.”