2 weeks Ago By Callum Bishop
As many as nine first-team players are set to miss Wednesday's Merseyside derby as Liverpool look to strengthen their already tight grip on the Premier League title by beating arch-rivals Everton . The two teams met in a fiery encounter back in February – the last derby to ever be held at Goodison Park – as James Tarkowski smashed in a late equaliser to secure a valuable point for the Toffees. Multiple players were sent off at the final whistle, as was Liverpool boss Arne Slot for a confrontation with Michael Oliver .
However, the Dutchman and counterpart David Moyes will have to contend with some serious selection headaches, with many stars set to miss the affair at Anfield. Both Liverpool and Everton wanted to move their upcoming Merseyside derby - but the Premier League chiefs denied their joint request. Liverpool Without Several Defensive Options According to the Mirror, the main area of concern for the hosts appears to be in defence , specifically right-back, as all three of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley, and Joe Gomez are out with ankle and hamstring injuries, respectively.
The former would likely have received a frosty, at best, reception from the Anfield crowd after news of his move to Real Madrid in the summer was all but confirmed by multiple reports. GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Alexander-Arnold's ankle injury is the sixth he has sustained since the start of the 2023/24 season. Jarrell Quansah is the likely candidate to start on the right side of the back four as a result of the crisis, while youngster Tyler Morton is said to be the other player that Slot won't have at his disposal.
There is, however, some good news regarding both Alisson Becker and Ryan Gravenberch. The Brazilian shot-stopper sustained a concussion while on international duty, but after being assessed by the Liverpool medical staff, has been passed fit for Wednesday's clash. Gravenberch also withdrew from the Netherlands squad due to injury but is believed to have shaken this off and will be available for the game too.
Liverpool are looking to take another major step towards their first Premier League title in five years when they host local rivals Everton. Everton Missing Attacking Stars As for David Moyes' side, they will have to field a rather different attack in order to trouble their local rivals, as they will be without three key attackers for the contest. Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored when the two teams met in Jurgen Klopp's final-ever Merseyside derby, but the striker is set to miss out this time around, as will Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye.
Full-back Vitalii Mykolenko is also out after sustaining a thigh injury while away on international duty with Ukraine. While the extent of the defender's injury is not yet known, Serhiy Rebrov's comments after the game suggest that it could be a serious blow for the Toffees. The visitors will also continue to be without Orel Mangala as he recovers from an ACL injury.
The debate about the biggest grudge matches in England's top flight has been settled. All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - accurate as of 01/04/2025..
