Originally scheduled for December but postponed due to Storm Darragh, this rearranged fixture will take place under the lights, fitting for a stadium that has hosted so many iconic night games over the years. For Everton fans, this match along with their Goodison farewell against Southampton in May—carries deep sentimental weight, made even more special by the return of David Moyes to the dugout.
Moyes has made an immediate impact, guiding Everton to three straight Premier League wins over Tottenham, Brighton, and Leicester, lifting them nine points clear of the relegation zone. Scoring eight goals in those matches, the Toffees have found new life under their former boss.
Their recent home performances have been particularly impressive, leading 3-0 at halftime in consecutive games for the first time in 63 years—especially remarkable considering they had only managed two first-half goals at Goodison in their first 10 home matches this season.
However, Saturday’s FA Cup loss to Bournemouth was a bitter pill to swallow, marking the club’s last-ever cup match at Goodison with a disappointing exit. And now, they face an even bigger challenge. Despite their recent league resurgence, Everton have historically struggled against teams sitting top of the Premier League, winning just four of their last 47 meetings with such opponents.
Their record against Liverpool is even more concerning. Since 2000, Everton have beaten their fierce rivals just six times in 54 encounters. However, last season’s victory at Goodison offers hope the hosts now have a chance to win back-to-back derbies for the first time in 40 years.
Liverpool, on the other hand, will be looking to make history of their own. This could be their 100th league win over Everton—something only four other clubs have achieved against a single opponent in Football League history.
However, despite Jürgen Klopp’s overall success against the Toffees, Goodison was often a tough place for him, with just two wins in eight visits. Now, new boss Arne Slot takes charge of his first derby, with the pressure of keeping Liverpool’s title charge on track.
A win would put Liverpool nine points clear of Arsenal, taking advantage of this long-standing game in hand. But Goodison hasn’t been the easiest venue for them—just two wins in their last 12 visits—and they arrive off the back of a shocking FA Cup defeat to Plymouth Argyle.
Slot heavily rotated his squad for Sunday’s match, and it backfired, as the Reds became just the fourth Premier League leaders ever to be knocked out of the competition by a lower-league side. Despite being unbeaten in 19 league games, reaching the EFL Cup final, and cruising in the Champions League, the defeat exposed a worrying overreliance on key players—something that could prove costly as the season wears on.
With Everton desperate to mark this occasion with a memorable result and Liverpool needing all three points to strengthen their grip on the title race, this final Goodison Park derby is set to be an emotional and intense battle.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
David Moyes named a strong Everton lineup for Saturday’s FA Cup clash with Bournemouth, and we’re likely to see a very similar XI here, with only a couple of tweaks out wide.Vitalii Mykolenko, who missed the weekend’s defeat with a calf strain, could return at left-back in place of Ashley Young who, notably, was sent off against Liverpool last season. Meanwhile, Jack Harrison may come in for Jesper Lindstrom on the right after impressing off the bench against Bournemouth.
Up front, Everton have limited options with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja, and Youssef Chermiti all sidelined, meaning Beto will lead the line. Dwight McNeil will also be unavailable after undergoing minor knee surgery at the end of January.
For Liverpool, Arne Slot is expected to make sweeping changes—potentially 10 in total switching back to the lineup that cruised past Spurs 4-0 in last week’s EFL Cup semi-final second leg.
Luis Diaz was the only player to start both that win and Sunday’s FA Cup loss at Plymouth, though he struggled to make an impact. Still, he should keep his place, while Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott, and Federico Chiesa are set to drop out.
Big names like Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Virgil van Dijk who weren’t even in the squad for the Plymouth trip will return. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold is unlikely to feature, with Slot sounding doubtful about his availability for the next couple of weeks.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Everton possible starting lineup:Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Beto
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Diaz, Gakpo
EXPERT PREDICTION
Everton 0-2 Liverpool
With Everton comfortably nine points clear of the relegation zone and out of the FA Cup, there’s not much left for them to fight for this season—except, of course, the chance to derail Liverpool’s title charge. They’ll give it everything, but they might just fall short.
