Everton vs Liverpool preview: Richarlison back from ban

Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Everton vs Liverpool in the Premier League on Wednesday; kick-off 8.15pm.

Team news

Everton forward Richarlison returns from suspension for the Merseyside derby visit of Liverpool.

Midfielder Andre Gomes is back in training after a calf problem but is unlikely to feature in the Premier League clash.

Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin (thigh), centre-back Yerry Mina (thigh) and midfielder Tom Davies (knee) are still out, while Mason Holgate remains suspended.

Everton provisional squad: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Godfrey, Digne, Delph, Allan, Doucoure, Townsend, Gray, Richarlison, Gordon, Begovic, Kenny, Branthwaite, Gbamin, Iwobi, Tosun, Rondon, Simms, Dobbin.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be selecting from an unchanged squad.

Defender Joe Gomez (calf) and midfielder Naby Keita (hamstring) are closing in on a return to team training but will not be ready in time, while Roberto Firmino (hamstring) and midfielder Curtis Jones (eye) remain absent.

Centre-back Joel Matip looks set to return after being rested at the weekend for Ibrahima Konate.

Liverpool provisional squad: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago, Salah, Jota, Mane, Kelleher, Williams, Konate, Tsimikas, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Morton, Minamino, Origi.

How to follow

Follow Everton vs Liverpool in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel after full-time.

Last time out…

Jones Knows prediction

It’s hard to see how Everton can truly rattle Liverpool in this one. Jurgen Klopp’s team are masters at standing up to a physical confrontation so the Goodison Park factor should not play a part. The counter-attack could be their only ray of light but, since the opening few weeks, even those kind of attacks have fallen flat.

Away win, simple as.

We need to talk about the Liverpool offside trap though. It really is a thing of beauty.

They have caught 57 players offside in total this season, at least 21 more than any other side.

Although the offside trap is one of Liverpool’s strengths as it suffocates teams, it can also be their weakness – as shown perfectly by West Ham in their 3-2 victory. Rafa Benitez will be encouraging quick balls into space behind the Liverpool back four and will surely be picking Richarlison to lead the line. The Brazilian opened the scoring in the 2-0 win at Anfield last season, latching onto a James Rodriguez through pass.

That predicted method of attack makes the Everton offside lines very appealing. With Liverpool catching teams offside 4.3 times per-90 minutes this season, that makes Richarlison, who was flagged twice in the fixture at Anfield, a smart play at 15/8 with Sky Bet to be caught offside three times.

SCORE PREDICTION: 0-2

BETTING ANGLE: Richarlison to be caught offside three or more times (15/8 with Sky Bet)

Opta stats

Everton won 2-0 in their last Premier League game against Liverpool, ending a 20-game winless run against them in the competition. They’ve not won back-to-back league Merseyside derbies since beating them in both meetings in the 1984-85 campaign.Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League away games against Everton, since a 2-0 loss in October 2010. However, eight of their last nine such visits have finished level, including each of the last four in a row.In Premier League history, Everton vs Liverpool has seen more red cards (22) and been drawn more often (24) than any other fixture. The Merseyside derby has also seen more 90th-minute winning goals than any other match in the competition, with all of these being scored by Liverpool – Ronny Rosenthal (1993), Gary McAllister (2001), Dirk Kuyt (2007), Sadio Mane (2016) and Divock Origi (2018).Everton have only lost one of their last 13 midweek (Tue, Wed, Thu) Premier League games (W7 D5), going down 3-1 against Manchester City in February last season.Liverpool have scored at least twice in each of their last 17 games in all competitions, the joint-longest such run in history by an English top-flight side (level with Sunderland in 1927).

Premier League Review: Was Carrick right to drop Ronaldo? Pressure on Rafa ahead of derby, Howe’s problems and title tips

On the latest Essential Football Podcast Alice Piper is joined by Sky Sports football writers Gerard Brand and Ben Grounds to look back on another big weekend at both ends of the Premier League table after Chelsea’s lead slipped following a 1-1 draw with Man Utd at Stamford Bridge.

PART 1 | Was Michael Carrick right to opt against starting Cristiano Ronaldo – and should United have signed him at all? United’s interim-to-the-interim manager’s tactics are assessed ahead of Ralph Rangnick’s arrival, questions raised over Chelsea’s attacking prowess, while will Arsenal fancy facing this United side next given their own form?

PART 2 | Where does another bad result at Brentford leave Everton boss Rafa Benitez ahead of the Merseyside derby in midweek? Do Liverpool have anything to fear? And the curious case of Marcelo Bielsa and Kalvin Phillips…

PART 3 | Newcastle show Eddie Howe the scale of the task ahead of him with a six-pointer against Norwich next up, Aston Villa grind their way to victory again – and with two points separating the top three, who’s going to win the Premier League?