Liverpool v Everton - Preview.
Saturday 3rd February 2007
Kick Off 12.45
Betting Odds: Liverpool 1.55 Draw 3.50 Everton 5.50
Every city has their rivalry. This weekend plays hosts to one of the bitterest as Everton trudge less than a mile across Stanley Park to Anfield for the 205th Merseyside Derby.
Liverpool enter into the fray full of confidence after a midweek win over strugglers West Ham. Strikers Kuyt and Crouch blasting on all cylinders with two superb long-range efforts, making them unbeaten in the last five Premiership games.
But it was the blue half of Merseyside that was singing back in September after a convincing 3-0 victory over their Scouse counterparts. A weary Liverpool could only look on as The Toffees unstuck their defence on three separate occasions.
The victory saw Everton reach third spot in the League while Liverpool slumped to 15th – very much an unexpected role reverse. Their form as of late however does not mirror their impressive start, earning only eight points from a possible 15.
But despite a mixed bag of results, consisting of two wins, two draws and a defeat in their last five, The Blues still populate the top half of the table and are in firm contention for a UEFA Cup place.
After their midweek win, Liverpool kept up the pressure on second place Chelsea and League leaders Manchester United, making it still numerically feasible for them to lift the trophy in May. They cannot however drop a single point. With this in mind, this tie is even more precious than usual for both teams.
With 27 points taken from the last 30, Liverpool are getting used to winning ways. But throw in a derby game and statistics have a tendency to be flung out the window. And Everton would certainly love to be the ones to throw a spanner into Liverpool’s well-oiled engine.
Liverpool do enter the game though as favourites with betting odds expecting nothing more than home win. Everton have failed to leave Anfield with all three points in nearly eight years and have not celebrated double League victories against their fellow Merseysiders since the 84/85 season.
Everton find themselves without top goal scorer Andy Johnson but can find some solace in Mikel Arteta’s regained form. Scoring both goals in Everton’s trip to the JJB, the Spanish midfielder increased his season’s tally to six and re-established himself as The Toffees’ second highest goal scorer and who Everton fans believe to be the key to unlocking the Reds defence.
And goals certainly come thick and fast in Merseyside derbies with each of the last three meets seeing at least three goals. Liverpool appear to have settled their early season goal drought, filling the net 24 times in the last ten games and with Peter Crouch eager to end his birthday week in festive style, betting odds predict another goal rushed game.
In contrast the last three games have also seen four players sent for an early bath. In a match that has much more at stake than just three points, passion and desperation tend to play a major part. And in footballing terms, there aren’t many encounters that match the level of dignity that is at stake in this Merseyside clash. Hold on to your seats for this one!
Betting: Articles |
Archives: Football Betting Articles Archive |
home
(interbetgroup)
(deutschland)
(france)
(italia)
(england)
(españa)
(türkiye)
(greece)
(portugal)
