Alex Jack’s tips for Wednesday night’s Merseyside Derby include goals at both ends with Mohamed Salah opening the scoring.
Wednesday evening sees the 246th Merseyside Derby, as Liverpool and Everton go head-to-head at Anfield in the Premier League.
It’s just seven weeks since their last meeting and emotions will still be running high following that dramatic 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.
Liverpool know a win will take them a step closer to a 20th league title, but their rivals would love nothing more than causing an upset. Here are our football betting selections to add to your Bet Builder for the game.
Best bets
Both teams to score 11/10
Mohamed Salah to score first 23/10
Over 5.5 total cards 11/8
Goals on the Anfield agenda
Liverpool remain the leading goalscorers in the Premier League this season, with 69 scored in their 29 matches to date.
That is 37 more than their Merseyside rivals, although things have improved in front of goal for the Toffees following the return of David Moyes.
The Blues have scored 17 times in the 10 league games the Scot has been in charge for, with Everton scoring in each of their last nine matches.
That included two in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, when Moyes’ men snatched an injury-time equaliser thanks to James Tarkowski.
Everton have failed to score in their last three trips across Stanley Park, but they will be buoyed by the fact that Liverpool have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven Premier League home matches.
Salah out to put seal on memorable season
Mohamed Salah has opened up a six-goal gap in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot, with the Egyptian star on 27 goals for the season.
The former Roma and Fiorentina man has been kept quiet in Liverpool’s last two matches – against PSG in the Champions League and the EFL Cup final defeat to Newcastle.
But Salah has a knack of responding when the critics question him and the Merseyside derby gives him the perfect platform to respond again.
The 32-year-old scored a brace in this fixture last season and also found the net at Anfield when the sides met in the 2022/23 campaign.
Overall, Salah has scored seven times against the Reds’ city rivals and it would not be a surprise to see him add to that tally on Wednesday.
Barrott faces a tough test
Referee Sam Barrott is one of the younger officials in the Premier League, but he has been handed the task of taking charge of this derby clash.
The man from Yorkshire was only added to the Select Group of refs at the start of this season and this will be his biggest game to date.
Barrott was in charge of Liverpool’s trip to Southampton back in November, with seven players cautioned at St Mary’s, while he brandished six yellows in the games between Arsenal and Leicester and Brighton and Man City.
Following the aftermath of the Goodison clash, when two players and the Liverpool boss Arne Slot were sent off, it could be a feisty affair.
Eight yellows were dished out by Michael Oliver on that night and with the two games so close together, fallouts could impact on this fixture.