Premier League leaders Liverpool play Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday night in the last Merseyside derby. Arne Slot’s team come into the encounter with a six-point lead over Arsenal and a match in hand. The original fixture was postponed in December.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot hopes his first-choice team will manage Goodison Park’s final Merseyside derby sentiment better than the second string, whose “unacceptable” performance sent them out of the FA Cup by Plymouth.
In a gamble to leave out nine of the team that overcame Tottenham to go to the Carabao Cup final last Thursday, the Dutchman lost 1-0 to the Championship’s worst club on Sunday. That starting XI had nine senior squad players, including Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota, and Luis Diaz in the attacking line, but they struggled to break down organised opponents.
Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, and Cody Gakpo will return for Everton’s 122nd and final derby at their historic stadium, where the atmosphere will undoubtedly be even more intense.
“It should matter because at this club, you should contend for every trophy. Losing to Plymouth is unacceptable “Slot on Liverpool’s cup exit.
“Now we must show a different side of us because the outcome and performance were well below Liverpool’s norms.
“The atmosphere will be great, and it’s hard to play against them since the fans cheer every time they cross the halfway line or earn a corner. As an away team, you have to be psychologically tough to overcome all that.
