It’s derby day in Merseyside on Monday. Liverpool v Everton is often called the friendly derby but one can rest assured that there will be nothing friendly when the two teams walk out on the pitch at Goodison Park on Monday night.
The Blues arrested an awful run of form with a big win against Arsenal on Tuesday and Liverpool won their first game in three with a clinical display at the Riverside Stadium against Middlesbrough.
Cliches might be boring, but sometimes cliches do hold good. In games like this, form goes out of the window. It is about the side that plays better on that given day, manages all the off-field distractions and imposes its style and superiority on the opposition.
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This is Jurgen Klopp’s first Goodison derby and he will have happy memories of the 4-0 thrashing his team handed out to the neighbours at Anfield earlier this year.
In all likelihood, the Reds will miss the services of Joel Matip again and Emre Can is still a doubt for the game. Daniel Sturridge is almost certain to not start, although Klopp did say that the striker could be fit enough to make the bench. For Everton, Phil Jagielka will miss out as he serves a one-game ban after picking up a red card against Arsenal in their last game.
Here are some key battles that could decide the outcome of the game.
#1 Gareth Barry v Adam Lallana
Lallana is in red-hot form. There are no two ways about that. In his absence, due to the injury picked up on England duty, there was something missing in the Reds’ displays – that spark, that guile in midfield. Once he has come back, he has shown his quality.
What has changed about Lallana is the fact that his end-product in the final third has gone up manifold. The move into midfield has worked wonders for him. Jurgen Klopp said after the game against Middlesbrough that Lallana was not getting into the right positions when the German arrived at the club. Now, he is doing what Frank Lampard did with such aplomb all through his years at Chelsea.
Lallana has six goals and six assists in the league this season. Only Diego Costa and Alexis Sanchez have been directly involved in more goals in the Premier League.
But the challenge that faces the 28-year-old on Monday night is as tough as they will come in this league. Gareth Barry has shown that despite his age, he is still an astute defensive midfielder. With 609 appearances in the league so far, he will go second on the all-time Premier League appearance list, 22 behind Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs.
Barry’s importance to Everton in this game will be amplified by the absence of their captain Jagielka. Along with Leighton Baines and Ashley Williams, Barry brings much-needed experience to the Everton squad. That experience is needed in games like this, to ensure that the younger players around him do not lose their heads in the heat of the moment.
His presence in midfield frees up the likes of Ross Barkley and James McCarthy to move forward and get on with more creative duties than just keep doing the dirty work. The two younger midfielders will still have to cover for Barry’s aging legs as he might not be able to cover the amount of ground that he might have in his younger days.
And covering ground in midfield will be necessary given the way Liverpool will play. Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Lallana will run. They will run and won’t stop running.
#2 Ramiro Funes Mori v Divock Origi
Like Lallana, Origi is also in stunning form. He has five goals in his last five games for Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp will hope that it will continue on Monday.
Origi has all the tools to become a top-class striker. He is strong and holds the ball up well, but he is terrific with the ball at his feet as well. His pace could well be a huge asset against an Everton defence not particularly blessed in that respect.
Jagielka’s suspension adds some spice to the game as well. It means that Funes Mori is almost certain to start and he has bad history with the Liverpool fans.
He made an awful tackle on Origi, damaging the Belgian’s ankle ligaments in that 4-0 thrashing in April. He kissed the Everton badge on his way off the field after being sent off and that did not go down too well with the Reds in attendance at Anfield on that day.
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Origi had his progress stalled by that injury. He did come back for a substitute appearance in the Europa League final, but did not reach the heights that he was at before the injury. He didn’t have a great Euro 2016 with Belgium, where he missed a few sitters.
But now he is back in shape and firing for the Liverpool first team. On a personal level, the young Belgian would want to show Funes Mori that the challenge in April is well and truly behind him and that he can go back to tormenting Everton like he did in the first half at Anfield on Monday.
The gauntlet was set by his terrible tackle in April. Origi’s response will be seen on Monday night.
#3 Romelu Lukaku v Ragnar Klavan
Klavan has had a solid 135 minutes of football under his belt, since replacing Dejan Lovren at half-time against West Ham last weekend. Especially against Middlesbrough, he stood up to the challenge brilliantly, particularly in the first half.
It was important for Liverpool that Klavan covered for his full-back on the left side. Adama Traore’s sheer pace meant that there had to be two or three players in close proximity to him at all times. Traore did beat Milner at will on quite a few occasions but apart from a couple of occasions, he could not get the better of the big Estonian.
In Lukaku, Klavan faces a strong, bulldozing striker who, on his day, can be an absolute nightmare to defend against. Lukaku is strong, he shrugs defenders off with his sheer strength, he is skilful with the ball at his feet and he is rapid.
So there is enough of a challenge for Klavan to have his hands full. But the big Estonian has shown that he does not get easily fazed and his composure and ability to keep his head when under pressure will be tested to the hilt by the Belgian.
But for Lukaku to trouble Klavan, Everton’s creative players and the wide players will have to have a good game. The onus is on Ross Barkley to ensure that he provides the big Belgian with the service required to flourish on the big night. Kevin Mirallas and Enner Valencia are expected to start on the wings, and Ronald Koeman would love for his wingers to go old-fashioned and pump crosses in for Lukaku to attack.
Milner will be Liverpool’s left-back again and Klavan will again have a little extra responsibility as he will have to cover for Milner on the occasions when he gets caught out of position, as players playing in unnatural positions tend to.
