Premier League leaders Liverpool face Everton at Goodison Park tonight in what is the famed stadium’s final Merseyside derby.
The original fixture was postponed in December due to Storm Darragh, and since then Liverpool have continued to dominate in the league, opening up a six-point gap over Arsenal in second place. With this game serving as Liverpool’s game in hand, the Reds can go nine points clear with a win tonight.
Meanwhile, Everton have improved since the re-appointment of David Moyes in January, with the Toffees sitting nine points above the relegation zone with a game in hand.
And there is plenty more than pride to play for at Goodison, with the hosts looking to strike a blow in the title race against their cross-city rivals.
Follow all the latest build-up, team news and updates from Goodison Park below:
Everton vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest Premier League updates
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Everton face Liverpool in the Premier League, with kick-off at 8pm | Live on TNT Sports
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Everton XI: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner, Doucoure; Lindstrom, Ndiaye, Beto
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Liverpool XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz
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The game will be the last Merseyside derby to take place at Goodison Park
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Liverpool have a chance to go nine points clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League
Everton FC - Liverpool FC
Liverpool team to face Everton
18:18 , Mike Jones
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz
Everton team news vs Liverpool
18:16 , Mike Jones
Everton XI: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner, Doucoure; Lindstrom, Ndiaye, Beto
A predictable 2-0?
18:10 , Mike Jones
The last three meetings have ended 2-0, with Liverpool winning twice and Everton once.
A physical affair
18:05 , Mike Jones
The Merseyside derby has produced 23 red cards during the Premier League era, the most of any fixture in the division.
Everton vs Liverpool
18:00 , Mike Jones
Everton are aiming to win consecutive Merseyside league derbies for the first time since 1985.
Victory over the Reds last April was their first Merseyside league derby win at home in 13 attempts since October 2010 (D3, L9).
David Moyes determined to bridge gap to Liverpool
17:55 , Carl Markham
"We've always been chasing Liverpool, probably no more so than now," he said.
"I think the gap between the two teams at the moment is probably as big as it's been for a long time.
"It's something I have to try and bridge and start bringing the two clubs closer together. I certainly need to bring my club closer to their club if I can.
"There's a gulf between what's going on (regarding transfer comparisons) and everybody's aware of the situation here and the difficulty.
"But Everton had a great result against Liverpool last year (winning 2-0 in April) so that's the way football works.
"I've actually seen a bit of unpredictability in the Premier League this year with some of the results, so we have to go out there and try to turn the result around and make sure that we're the winners."
David Moyes' derby disasters
17:46 , Mike Jones
David Moyes won just three of his 22 Premier League Merseyside derbies in his first stint in charge of Everton between 2002 and 2013 (D7, L12).
Can he secure his fourth win tonight?
David Moyes determined to bridge gap to Liverpool
17:37 , Carl Markham
David Moyes accepts Everton have to find a way to bridge the "gulf" between them and the Liverpool squad in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
The 122nd and final encounter against their Stanley Park neighbours sees one of the widest gaps between the two teams, with the Reds looking to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and their hosts 30 points behind, albeit nine clear of the bottom three.
Everton's net spend over the last decade is around £300million, most of that excess coming in the early years of the chaotic reign of former owner Farhad Moshiri, but recent seasons have seen a tightening of belts as the club struggled - and failed - to comply with profitability and sustainability rules.
Liverpool have spent over £580m during that time but have been rewarded with Premier League and Champions League titles, in addition to an FA Cup and two League Cups.
Arne Slot on Liverpool's upcoming run of games
17:20 , Richard Jolly
“For me it is not about psychology. For me it is about having nine points or six points, that is the difference, [of a] lead against teams who are able to win so many games in a row. So leave out psychology, it is just going to be crucial to have so many points as possible because the teams we face are able to win every single game in the Premier League.
“In the first half of the season, I said many times, judge the league table after 19 games but the thing is, Arsenal now played one more, but if you look at the games they already had [twice] - City, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Brighton, I think - so they have had quite a lot of teams that are doing really well so that is why it is important to try to extend the lead tomorrow. That is not going to be easy, obviously.”
Arne Slot reveals key factor that gives Arsenal hope in title race - and what Liverpool must do in defining period
17:00 , Richard Jolly
Arne Slot believes that taking a nine-point lead in the Premier League wouldn’t strike a psychological blow to Liverpool’s title rivals – but could prove crucial as he eyed Arsenal’s run-in.
League leaders Liverpool play their game in hand against Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday with the chance to go nine points ahead of Arsenal and 12 clear of third-place Nottingham Forest.
And it is the start of five league games in 15 days, with a rearranged trip to Aston Villa, brought forward from March because Liverpool are in the Carabao Cup final, now set for next Wednesday and meaning that Slot’s side could move up to 15 points clear of the Gunners if they beat Unai Emery's team.
But the Dutchman is aware that Arsenal finished last season strongly and feels they are capable of going on an extended winning run.
Arne Slot reveals key factor that gives Arsenal hope in title race
David Moyes confronts Liverpool’s key advantage ‘to start building Everton again’
16:40 , Richard Jolly
As Arne Slot looked forward to his first Merseyside derby, David Moyes looked back at some of his first 25.
He harked back to Lee Carsley’s winner in 2004, to the game Andy Johnson eviscerated Liverpool two years later. There was the day Luis Suarez scored and dived in front of Moyes, the Uruguayan’s riposte after the Scot had noted his propensity to go to ground. He recalled the time when, as he said, the refereeing was more lenient.
“When it was Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard it was just a question of who was going to kick who first,” he smiled. “I’ve got big memories of that.”
They were very different days to now.
David Moyes ready to bridge Everton-Liverpool divide starting with historic derby
Arne Slot: 'Nothing good comes from losing a football game'
16:20 , Richard Jolly
Arne Slot believes there are no benefits from getting knocked out of the FA Cup, even though it will reduce their workload, as he said Liverpool should be disappointed with both their display and the result against Championship strugglers Plymouth.
He added: “A wise man that once said to me that nothing good comes from losing a football game and I completely agree, so we would have definitely preferred to play six games in 18 days or seven in 21 or eight in 24 because that is the schedule we are in.
“Now with us losing this game, there is one moment where we have a normal week but that is definitely not what we wanted when we went to Plymouth.”
Liverpool issue update on Trent Alexander-Arnold fitness ahead of Merseyside derby
16:00 , Richard Jolly
Liverpool will make a late decision on whether to select Trent Alexander-Arnold for the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
The vice-captain has missed their last two games with a thigh injury sustained in the win at Bournemouth but could give them a boost by returning to action at Goodison Park on Wednesday.
Head coach Arne Slot will assess the right-back in training before deciding whether to include him in the squad but will be without fellow defender Joe Gomez as he admitted he is worried by the injury he suffered in their FA Cup exit at Plymouth.
Liverpool issue update on Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of Merseyside derby
Arne Slot defends Liverpool team selection and says FA Cup line-up ‘done for a reason’
15:30 , Chris Wilson
Arne Slot declared his weakened FA Cup line-up at Plymouth was done “for a reason” as Liverpool faced up to a shock exit to Championship strugglers and criticism his team selection had devalued the competition.
Ryan Hardie’s second-half penalty secured a famous 1-0 win for Plymouth, rock bottom in the Championship, against the Premier League leaders in Sunday’s fourth-round tie at Home Park.
In what was Liverpool’s 13th game since Boxing Day and ahead of Wednesday’s Merseyside derby at Everton, Slot made 10 changes from the side which had dismantled Tottenham three days earlier to reach the Carabao Cup final.
Arne Slot defends Liverpool team selection and says line-up ‘done for a reason’
Bournemouth burst Everton’s bubble to end David Moyes’ FA Cup dream
15:15 , Chris Wilson
Bournemouth burst Everton’s bubble to end David Moyes’ dream of bringing silverware back to the club – for this season at least – with a 2-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory.
After three successive league wins had eased relegation fears, the Scot hoped the cup would afford his players a release from the relentless pressure of the last couple of years, but the high-energy Cherries are not such accommodating opponents.
In Antoine Semenyo they have a livewire winger who has caused many defenders a problem and James Tarkowski will be pleased to see the back of the Ghana international after enduring a nightmare opening 45 minutes.
Bournemouth burst Everton’s bubble to end David Moyes’ FA Cup dream
Arne Slot pinpoints where Liverpool went wrong in shock FA Cup defeat to Plymouth
15:15 , Chris Wilson
Arne Slot bemoaned a lack of creativity from his Liverpool side after being upset by Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle in a famous FA Cup shock.
The Reds saw their quadruple hopes dashed in the 1-0 defeat at Home Park after a Ryan Hardie penalty following Harvey Elliott handball.
And while Slot was quick to give credit to Miron Muslic’s side, the Dutch coach immediately highlighted just where the Premier League leaders fell short on a rare off day.
Arne Slot pinpoints where Liverpool went wrong in shock FA Cup loss
Liverpool stunned by Plymouth as quadruple hopes ended by FA Cup shock
15:00 , Chris Wilson
Plymouth produced a huge FA Cup upset as Premier League leaders Liverpool were knocked out by the bottom club in the Championship to end hopes of a historic quadruple.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot gambled with a weakened side in Devon and literally paid the penalty as Ryan Hardie’s second-half spot-kick gave Plymouth a famous 1-0 win and sent them into the fifth round of the competition.
It was only the fourth time that the team starting the day at the top of the Premier League has been eliminated from the FA Cup by a side from outside the top flight.
Liverpool stunned by Plymouth as quadruple hopes ended by FA Cup shock
Prediction
14:45 , Chris Wilson
The last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park promises to entertain, and though Everton will make it difficult for the visitors, the league leaders are expected to sneak through with the tree points.
Everton 1-2 Liverpool.
Predicted line-ups
14:30 , Chris Wilson
Everton XI: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowksi, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; Lindstrom, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Neto.
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Nunez.
Everton vs Liverpool team news
14:15 , Chris Wilson
David Moyes has no new injury concerns after the loss to Bournemouth in the cup, with Orel Mangala and Armando Broja as the long-term injuries.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin will remain out, as will Dwight McNeil and Seamus Coleman.
Arne Slot’s only new worry is regarding Joe Gomez, who came off in the loss to Plymouth. It is currently unknown whether Trent Alexander-Arnold will be fit in time to face the Toffees though the right-back will be assessed in training and a late decision made by the manager.
Other than that, it is expected that Slot will likely make 10 changes as he did at the weekend, with key players such as Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch all returning to the line-up.
Is Everton vs Liverpool on TV?
14:10 , Chris Wilson
When is Everton vs Liverpool?
Everton vs Liverpool is due to kick off at 7.30pm GMT on Wednesday 12 February at Goodison Park.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, while subscribers can also watch online via discovery+. Coverage starts at 6.30pm.
You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery+ here, for only £30.99 per month.
Everton vs Liverpool LIVE
14:05 , Chris Wilson
Everton host Liverpool in the Premier League tonight in what is the final Merseyside derby to be played at Goodison Park.
Everton’s home will be demolished when they move into the new stadium at the beginning of next season, but the storied ground has the potential to for one more exciting chapter as league leaders Liverpool cross town.
The fixture comes at a busy time for both clubs, with the original match re-arranged due to Storm Darragh in December, and while Liverpool exited the FA Cup at the weekend, they can go nine points clear at the top of the league with a win tonight.
David Moyes has steadied the ship since arriving back at Everton in January, and though the Toffees should be safe from relegation anyway, Goodison will be rocking as they hope to take three points as their rivals fight for the title.
Everton vs Liverpool LIVE
14:00 , Chris Wilson
Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of tonight’s Premier League match between Everton and Liverpool.
The match will be the last Merseyside derby to be played at Goodison Park, with the Reds hoping to mark the occasion by going nine points clear at the top.
