REDS CAN BOOST TITLE HOPES IN MERSEYSIDE DERBY
It’s going to take more than a few controversial penalty decisions going in their favour for Everton to beat Liverpool in the latest Merseyside derby.
The Toffees moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday which ended with the visitors issuing a statement basically calling the integrity of VAR official Stuart Attwell into doubt.
The Reds game at Fulham followed that match and was a more routine affair with Jurgen Klopp’s team enjoying a 3-1 success at Craven Cottage which keeps them very much in the title race.
Everton have taken a decent seven points from the last 12 up for grabs with the success against Forest following a 1-0 win against Burnley at Goodison Park and a 1-1 draw at Newcastle but it cannot be forgotten that they were also battered 6-0 at Chelsea during that stretch.
Liverpool, who won the reverse fixture at Anfield 2-0, were bounced out of the Europa League last Thursday as a 1-0 win at Atalanta was not enough to overcome the stunning 3-0 defeat inflicted by the Italians in the first leg.
They also lost to Crystal Palace on home soil in a devastating few days which could ultimately turn Klopp’s farewell tour into a damp squib and with so much at stake for both clubs, this could be a tense, nervous affair with goals at a premium.
Everton have won just one of the last 29 meetings in all competitions between the two great rivals with Liverpool emerging triumphant on 16 occasions, and the Toffees have not found the back of the net in any of the last four derbies.
Liverpool’s defence is better than last season and the chances are they extend the sequence to five games and a third 2-0 victory in four matches with their rivals from across Stanley Park is 8/1 with William Hill.
Mohamed Salah began the match at Fulham on the bench but is expected to start against Everton and he is 7/2 with Betfair and Paddy Power to open the scoring while Luis Diaz is 11/4 with Sky Bet to end a run of four games without troubling the scoreboard by hitting his 14th goal of the season at some point in the proceedings.
• Manchester United really should beat Sheffield United by more than one goal at 5/6 with Ladbrokes and Coral despite their close shave against Coventry at Wembley.
• American Danielle Collins is enjoying a great year, winning the Miami Open and also triumphing on the clay in Charleston. She is worth an each-way bet for the Madrid Open at 14/1 with Betway, Betfred, bet365 and William Hill.
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2024-04-23T12:34:38Z dg43tfdfdgfd