Frank Lampard will take his Everton side to face Liverpool for the first time and is set to be missing up to seven players for the game.
The confirmed absences of Donny van de Beek, Andre Gomes, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tom Davies, Nathan Patterson and Andros Townsend, join the possible absence of a rusty Yerry Mina.
As reported by the former Chelsea man as he faced the media (via Everton’s club website): ‘Frank Lampard has revealed Donny van de Beek, Andre Gomes and Dominic Calvert-Lewin will miss Sunday’s Merseyside derby at Anfield (4.30pm BST).
‘Lampard explained van de Beek (groin) and Gomes have sustained “small injuries”, while Calvert-Lewin remains unavailable due to the quadriceps problem which kept him out of Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with Leicester City.
‘The Everton manager added he is unsure whether Calvert-Lewin will be fit to return when the Blues host Chelsea at Goodison Park on Sunday 1 May.
‘Lampard said he will make a decision on Yerry Mina’s readiness to start Sunday’s game as the Club continues to manage his fitness following his recovery from a quadriceps injury.
‘Mina played the full 90 minutes against Leicester after more than two months out.
‘Everton continue to be without Tom Davies (hamstring), Nathan Patterson (ankle) and Andros Townsend (knee)’.
It’s a treacherous position for our Merseyside neighbours and they will be in desperate need of a result, as they make the short trip across Stanley Park.
Let’s hope we can reduce them to few opportunities at our goal and sweep them aside with performances akin to that of our games against Manchester City and Manchester United.
#Ep44 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: UEFA failing fans, will we blow away Everton?… and more!