Prediction: Everton vs Liverpool

Verdict: Mohamed Salah to score

Best odds: 21/20

Bookmaker: 888sport

Its contestants may not have been quite at the same level for a while, but the Merseyside Derby is always an exciting affair that rarely passes without controversy. On Saturday, Everton and Liverpool will stand one against the other at Goodison Park in the sixth round of the Premier League season.

Everton

Having edged out Fleetwood Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup, Everton are still winless in the league, and there is concern about the ability of manager Frank Lampard to turn their fortunes around in time to achieve acceptable results. Another relegation might well see the former Chelsea midfielder get the sack.

In the opening round, the Toffees were beaten 0-1 at home by Lampard’s former club, and followed that up with a 2-1 loss away to Aston Villa. Since then, they’ve managed to avoid defeat, drawing 1-1 three times: at home against Nottingham Forest, away to Brentford and away to Leeds United.

Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock in that game and gave his side hope for a first victory, but Luis Sinisterra had other plans as he equalized for Leeds in the second half.

The three points won therein have Everton sharing places 17, 18 and 19 with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa.

There has been some good news at least for Lampard – Idrissa Gana Gueye has returned to the club after three years with Paris Saint-Germain, and the club has managed to beat off strong interest from Chelsea in forward Anthony Gordon. But earlier this summer, Richarlison left Goodison to join Antonio Conte’s revolution at Tottenham Hotspur.

Team News

It will be interesting to see if Gueye is ready to play on Saturday, but Lampard will have to make do without Yerry Mina (ankle), Ben Godfrey (calf) and Mason Holgate (knee) in defence, Abdoulaye Doucoure (thigh) in midfield, as well as Andros Townsend (knee) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (knee) in attack.

The manager played the full game against Leeds on Tuesday with 11 players, making no changes at all. That probably means the likes of right-back Seamus Coleman, centre-back Michael Keane, midfielders Allan and Andre Gomes, all of whom sat that match out on the bench, will be hoping to start this time.

Liverpool

The season didn’t start too well for Liverpool either. Jurgen Klopp’s team failed to win their opening three matches, drawing 2-2 away to Fulham and 1-1 at home against Crystal Palace, and suffering a painful 2-1 defeat away to arch-rivals Manchester United. But then they kicked on and thrashed Bournemouth 9-0 at home before going on to secure a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Newcastle, also at home.

It was Fabio Carvalho who nailed in that 98th-minute winner, after Roberto Firmino cancelled out Alexander Isak’s opener for the visitors.

These eight points have Liverpool in sixth place at the moment, which is obviously nowhere near where they want to be, and they simply must continue the winning streak against their city rivals if they are to even hope to challenge for the title again. Leeds and Fulham are directly below, also on eight points.

Liverpool also secured a Deadline Day signing, strengthening their own midfield section by acquiring Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus, and like with Gueye for Everton, it remains to be seen if the Brazilian is available for selection on Saturday.

Team News

Klopp once more won’t be able to call upon midfielders Thiago Alcantara (hamstring), Jordan Henderson (hamstring), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hamstring) and Naby Keita (muscle).

Defender Ibrahima Konate (knee) also remains out and will be a while still, but striker Darwin Nunez is available having served his red card suspension, and Diogo Jota has returned to training following a thigh problem. It means Klopp could have five attacking players at his disposal which, as he himself says, is like Christmas at this point.

Centre-back Joel Matip has been back in training for about a week and could come into the side in the place of Joe Gomez. Fabinho will surely anchor the midfield and Harvey Elliott has earned the right to start again, but with Henderson now out, it could be that Curtis Jones gets his first start of the season. Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz are expected to play on the attacking flank, and Firmino is likely to get the nod ahead of Nunez following superb displays in the previous two games.

Conclusion

Liverpool are expected to win this game and continue their resurgence, but it will not be easy with Everton always highly motivated against their great neighbours. Salah, who scored against Fulham and United but failed to get his name on the scoresheet in the two wins, will be keen to end the drought as soon as possible.

Verdict: Mohamed Salah to score

Best odds: 21/20

Bookmaker: 888sport