Everton v Liverpool

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Everton v Liverpool

Goodison Park
Saturday, 20 October
Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day.



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Team news to follow later.









BIG-MATCH FACTS
Victory for Everton over Liverpool in the 177th Merseyside league derby would lift Dave Moyes' team to equal on points with their arch rivals from the other side of Stanley Park.

Both clubs have won four Premier League matches this season, but while the Toffees have also lost four, the Reds are still unbeaten.

Should the 206th competitive meeting end all square, it would be Everton's 1,000th draw in top flight football, and Liverpool's 1,000th in their league history.

Liverpool didn't manage to score against Everton last season, but are chasing a sixth victory in eight visits to Goodison Park.


CLUB FORM
EVERTON


Club stats
Fixtures
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 4th
Lowest could fall: 11th

1. Lost three of the last four Premier League matches.

2. Kept just one clean season in the league this season; 2-0, home to Middlesbrough on 30 September.

3. Completed 22 Premier League games without a goalless draw, since the stalemate with Liverpool at Anfield on 3 February.

4. One of six clubs with a 100% record from Premier League matches in which they opened the scoring (won four of four).

5. Own the best behaved record in the Premier League; shown just eight yellow cards so far. Liverpool are next best with 10 yellows.

6. Failed to score in only one of the last 13 home league games; the 0-1 loss to Manchester United on 15 September.

7. This match precedes the Uefa Cup Group A tie, home to Larissa of Greece on Thursday.

LIVERPOOL


Club stats
Fixtures
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd
Lowest could fall: 9th

1. One of two clubs still holding an unbeaten Premier League record. The other is Arsenal.

2. Undefeated in nine league games. Won four and drawn five since losing 1-0, away to Fulham on 5 May.

3. Drew 2-2 with Spurs last time out. They were the first goals conceded in six league outings and first shipped from open play this season.

4. Averaging two points per game (16 after eight). It is their best start since 2002-03 when they finished fifth. But a higher finish has been attained in three of the four subsequent seasons, after inferior starts.

5. Conceded just four Premier League goals; one every three hours on average.

6. Yet to concede the opening goal in a Premier League match.

7. Let in just one league goal in the first half, and the only club not to have gone in at half time trailing in a Premier League match this season.

8. Not beaten in four league games on the road this term (three wins, one draw). This is the best "away" form in the Premier League.

9. Conceded more penalties in Premier League matches this season than any other club (three).

10. This match precedes the Champions League Group A clash with Besiktas in Turkey on Wednesday, and a home Premier League fixture against Arsenal on Sunday, 28 October.


KEY PLAYER NOTES
EVERTON


The only club without at least one player to have been on the field for every minute of every Premier League game this season.

Jolean LESCOTT is Everton's top scorer with five goals - all but one being headers.

LESCOTT is also the clubs' leading marksmen and the top scoring Englishman in the Premier League, with three.

James McFADDEN is now just one shy of 50 club career goals.

LIVERPOOL


Fernando TORRES is Liverpool's top scorer with seven goals, and top Premier League marksman, with four.

Goalkeeper Jose REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Liverpool's Premier League matches this season.


HEAD TO HEAD
The Merseyside derby is one of the worst Premier League fixtures for red cards; 14 players have been sent off in 30 meetings.

Liverpool's Ian Rush was the last player to score a hat-trick in a Merseyside derby. He contributed four of five unanswered goals at Goodison on 6 November 1982; Mark Lawrenson scored the other one.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Everton 56 wins, Liverpool 65, Draws 55
Prem: Everton 8 wins, Liverpool 11, Draws 11

at Everton only
League (inc PL): 33 wins, Liverpool 28, Draws 27
Prem: Everton 6 wins, Liverpool 5, Draws 4


LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Everton 3-0 Liverpool
9 September 2006 - Ref: Graham Poll
Everton scorers: Cahill 24, Johnson 36, 90


REFEREE
Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)

Premier League referees' table
Mark Clattenburg's 2007-08 Premier League card count

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Everton 1-2 Liverpool
By Phil McNulty




Liverpool celebrate Dirk Kuyt's first penalty at Everton
Dirk Kuyt's injury-time penalty gave Liverpool a crucial Merseyside derby win against nine-man Everton.

Sami Hyypia sliced into his own goal after 37 minutes to give Everton the lead at the interval.

But Kuyt scored from the spot after 54 minutes when Tony Hibbert was sent off for hauling down Steven Gerrard as he raced clear on goal.

And Kuyt struck again in time added on, with Phil Neville also sent off for handling Lucas' goal-bound shot.


Interview: Everton manager David Moyes
Interview: Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt
Interview: Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez

Everton were then furious with referee Mark Clattenburg, who ignored strong claims for a spot-kick in the dying seconds when Jamie Carragher clearly dragged down Joleon Lescott.

Liverpool were without groin-injury victim Fernando Torres, while Everton resisted the temptation to recall long-term absentees Tim Cahill, Thomas Gravesen and James Vaughan.

606: DEBATE
Is it just me, or is Benitez the luckiest man in football?

GP
Benitez's side started better and should have taken the lead in the fourth minute when Andriy Voronin shot straight at Everton keeper Tim Howard after Hibbert's hesitation let in Yossi Benayoun.

Everton, however, quickly came to terms with Liverpool's system and Lescott was a constant threat down the left flank.

John Arne Riise had a long-range free-kick deflected just wide, but Liverpool were in danger of losing their early momentum.

Victor Anichebe had two headers off target before Everton took the lead with a freak goal eight minutes before the interval.

Alan Stubbs retrieved a corner and crossed into the area, where Hyypia inexplicably lashed the ball past his own keeper Pepe Reina with his left foot.

Liverpool needed a break to get back into the game and they got it via a penalty and a red card for Everton's Hibbert.

Gerrard led a Liverpool break with a surge into the area where he was hauled down by Hibbert.

Referee Clattenburg pointed the spot and sent Hibbert off before Kuyt sent Howard the wrong way from the spot for his first league goal of the season.

Liverpool then attempted to make their most of their numerical advantage, with Riise shooting wildly over when unmarked and then Voronin having a shot blocked by Howard from close range.

Yakubu, who had been having a quiet afternoon, almost restored Everton's lead with a stunning 30-yard drive that whistled inched wide with Reina beaten.

Benitez then sprung a surprise with 20 minutes left, sending on Brazilian youngster Lucas for Gerrard - who looked stunned to be called off.

As the game went into injury-time, Liverpool grabbed a lifeline when Neville dived to palm away Lucas' shot.

Kuyt scored, but Everton were enraged when Carragher fouled Lescott in front of referee Clattenburg, who waved away their appeals.



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Everton boss David Moyes:
"Decisions happen, that's football. But in the last seconds there's the chance for it to be corrected and it would've been a result we deserved.
"We deserved that penalty and if the other penalties were more blatant than that, then I am in the wrong game.

"I seem to see football differently. If the ref doesn't see that you ask why."


Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez:
"People talk about a penalty they could have had. But last season we lost here 3-0, two of their goals were fouls and nobody complained then.
"I always feel that in England, players should not be rewarded with penalties for diving.

"I felt both penalty decisions were right. And I also agree with the yellow card for Kuyt and not a red."



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Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Stubbs, Lescott, Arteta, Jagielka, Neville, Osman, Yakubu (McFadden 77), Anichebe (Baines 84).
Subs Not Used: Wessels, Pienaar, Carsley.

Sent Off: Hibbert (53), Neville (90).

Booked: McFadden.

Goals: Hyypia 38 og.

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Gerrard (Lucas 71), Mascherano, Sissoko (Pennant 88), Benayoun (Babel 68), Voronin, Kuyt.
Subs Not Used: Itandje, Crouch.

Booked: Kuyt, Carragher.

Goals: Kuyt 54 pen, 90 pen.

Att: 40,049

Ref: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).