Everton vs Liverpool
What a match to restart the season with. It’s like starting the season all over again, except this time with a 22 point lead :-). Teams always start the season with a passion so this will be no easy task. That said the gulf in class really should be too much for Everton and even without necessarily firing on all cylinders Liverpool should have too much for them, despite the game being played at Goodison park.
The Merseyside derby is always a good excuse to remind yourself of some bill Shankly quotes and they are as valid today as they ever were. So here goes:
“If Everton were playing at the bottom of the garden, I’d pull the curtains.”
“When I’ve nothing better to do, I look down the league table to see how Everton are getting along.”
“I always said we had the best two teams on Merseyside… Liverpool and Liverpool Reserves.”
“The difference between Everton and the Queen Mary is that Everton carry more passengers!”
Everton are twelth in the league with less than half the points of Liverpool. They had a short honeymoon period after Ancelotti joined, but that was fading rapidly before the break and culminated in a 4-0 defeat away to Chelsea. Good manager though he is, Ancelotti has his work cut out to get them in contention for a European spot, which is probably where they should be for a club with their support and standing in the game. I doubt they will get there this season, with a six point gap to make up in just nine games, but it will be their aim next season. They have a few good players, like Richarlison and Sigurdsson, but will probably need to build on youngsters like Holgate and Davies. They also have the England goalkeeper…….. but that can’t be helped.
I wonder if Klopp will have used the break to make any changes to the way Liverpool play or not because no change is needed, just more of the same. I would though like to see him use the run in to play some of the fringe players to see if for example Mini and Keita can fit in and give us something different in preparation for next season. If we can get some of the squad players rotating it means next season we could perhaps rest some of our key players as before the break there were signs that the long season might be catching up with them.
Team: Alisson, TAA, Gomez, VVD, Robbo, Fab, Hendo, Gini, Mane, Firmino, Origi.
I have put Origi in place of Salah who seems to be injured (unless it’s covid) and is unlikely to play as he hasn’t trained this week. I think Klopp will go with Origi though I would prefer to see Mini given a chance. Either way, I hope Klopp will take advantage of the new subs rule to bring on players like Keita, Mini, and Jones . I wouldn’t mind seeing Elliot too but it’s probably too soon for him just now.
Score: 0-3
First scorer: Mane
Liverpool MOTM: Pickford
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