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At the back of an unusual defeat to Aston Villa away from home, Liverpool travel to Goodison Park to face their Merseyside rivals, Everton, tomorrow. The Reds will be eager to bounce back from their early defeat in the season but face a resurgent Everton side that has improved significantly under Carlo Ancelotti.
During the summer transfer window, the former Napoli manager reinforced his squad by bringing in James Rodriguez, Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure, amongst others. These new signings have returned Ancelotti's faith and adapted well to their manager's style of play.
For the upcoming clash between current league leaders and last season's Premier League champions, five battles could decide the result of the fixture.
#5 Lucas Digne vs Mohamed Salah
Despite the poor result at Villa Park two weeks ago, it was Mohamed Salah who stood out amongst his team-mates. The Egyptian international netted two goals for the Reds to continue his good goalscoring form. If he scores tomorrow, it will be Salah's 100th goal for the club in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Lucas Digne has also found his form under the Italian manager and started all Premier League matches since June. Adopting a similar style of play as Andy Robertson, the left-back enjoys delivering crosses into the box and often advances into the final third to support Richarlison when Everton transition into attack. With a cross accuracy of 31% this season, Digne is proving to be one of the most influential left-backs in the league.
In the last four matches, the 27-year-old defender made an average of 2.5 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game. His ability to sniff out danger will be vital for the Toffees to get all three points.
#4 Richarlison vs Trent Alexander-Arnold
Regarded as one of Liverpool's most trusted and reliable players, Trent Alexander-Arnold almost always rises to the occasion. Currently, the 22-year-old has contributed to 36 assists and scored eight goals in 138 first-team appearances for the first team. However, besides his usual attacking contributions, Alexander-Arnold is expected to face a tough challenge against Richarlison.
Given that Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker is still out with a shoulder injury, the England international must now bear the responsibility of stopping Richarlison from linking up play with Rodriguez or Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The latter two are in incredible form and will look to exploit Liverpool's defensive frailties.
Similar to many of his team-mates, Richarlison has blossomed under the tutelage of Ancelotti, scoring four goals and laying two assists since the Premier League restarted in June. Although the Brazilian has never beaten the Reds, it could be time for him to step up and prove his worth on derby day.
#3 Dominic Calvert-Lewin vs Virgil van Dijk
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is currently the top scorer in the Premier League, with six goals in four matches. Based on his current form, he seems unstoppable and could find himself on the scoresheet once again.
However, Virgil van Dijk, who played a vital role in Liverpool's title victory last season, could be the man to keep Calvert-Lewin quiet throughout the 90 minutes.
In recent games, the Dutch international endured mixed performances and appeared to be a little inconsistent. Out of the four games played, van Dijk has committed one error which led to a goal but has also managed to maintain a 100% tackle success rate.
The duo will be two key figures to watch in the game. Whoever emerges victorious in the duel could help their team secure all three points at Goodison Park.
#2 James Rodriguez vs Thiago Alcantara
James Rodriguez and Thiago Alcantara were once team-mates at Bayern Munich. Now, the midfielders will come up against each other in the Merseyside clash, with both sides are vying for the title as things stand.
The Colombian international has been sensational since joining Ancelotti's side in the summer and has had a hand in five goals and assists thus far. Likewise, Thiago is also seen as one of the best summer signings in the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp will surely be hoping that the Spaniard makes a similar impact as Rodriguez has with the Toffees.
Due to a positive COVID-19 test, the 29-year-old was forced to isolate and has not played since Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Chelsea. However, the former Bayern midfielder will be available for tomorrow's game and is in line to start for the Reds.
#1 Carlo Ancelotti vs Jurgen Klopp
At the moment, Ancelotti is possibly the happier of the duo since Everton are at the top of the Premier League table and the only team to remain unbeaten in the competition. The Toffees have enjoyed a flying start to their campaign; the last time they won four consecutive opening games in the Premier League, they went on to win the title.
While confidence is booming for the Everton team, they must remember that Liverpool are unbeaten in the last 10 Merseyside derbies. The Premier League title holders might have lost to Aston Villa, but they have defeated the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea in the opening weeks of the season.
Comparatively, Everton had faced slightly weaker opponents such as West Bromwich Albion and Brighton & Hove Albion. These matches contributed to their good run, and Ancelotti should know that his side will be facing a very different test against the Reds.
Also Read: Manchester City vs Arsenal: 5 key battles | Premier League 2020-21
