The closest Derby yet

By James Giblin

Fans all over merseyside are licking their lips in anticipation of what promises to be the most equally balanced derby in a long, long time.
Liverpool meet Everton at Goodson Park for the first derby of the season; the 187th in all.

It is however, the circumstances the two footballing goliath’s meet under that are most interesting.

Everton meet Liverpool, having started the campaign considerably brighter. Scoring 15 goals so far in the league, they have the highest shot’s on target (%) rating in europe (just in front of Real Madrid).
They are sitting in a Champions League place (4th) and have evaded the cobwebs that usually seem to daunt them at the early stages of the season.

However, this is the Merseyside Derby we’re talking about. It doesn’t matter how out of form Liverpool are, they always muster up something for the derby.

Having shrugged off Reading last weekend; while Everton played out for a draw at QPR, Liverpool grew in momentum and talent. The youngsters Sterling, Suso and Wisdom are all hungry for a start. With the exception of forward players, there seems to be two or three players per position. With competition rife at in the red half of Merseyside, everybody is working their socks off to impress.

On the blue side however, all the battling has taken it’s toll. With senior players such as Fellaini and Gibson out with injury and Pienaar suspended, Everton’s squad looks thin in places.
However, with the likes of Jelavic and Mirallas up front, they still pose a significant threat.

Danger man for Liverpool: Luis Suarez
Love him or hate him, Suarez’s ability to exploit the weaknesses of his adversaries is breath-taking. Although his goal tally hasn’t been amazing for Liverpool, some of his sweet finishes have.

Danger man for Everton: Nikica Jelavic
An exceptional striker. For what he lacks in pace he makes up in intelligence. With a clinical finish, he can change a game in a split second.

Predicted scoreline:
Everton 1-2 Liverpool