Liverpool vs Everton Lineups, Prediction, Preview & Odds

Liverpool vs Everton – the Merseyside derby. Usually a fiery, tight and physical battle. Last season’s game at Anfield was one all Liverpool fans will remember, with a brilliant goal from the late, great Diogo Jota (rest in peace) the only thing that separated the sides as Liverpool walked away with a win that day. They will look to extend their lead at the top of the table over Arsenal and the chasing pack with a fifth straight win to begin the season. Everton enter this game off the back of a 0-0 draw last weekend against Aston Villa, but with wins and clean sheets in 2 of their last 3 games. They will look to stifle their bitter rivals with their physicality and then hurt the Reds on the counter with the likes of Grealish and Ndiaye.

• Can Liverpool make it 5 wins in a row to begin their title defence?
• Will Alexander Isak start after starting against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League?
• Will Grealish and Ndiaye be able to cause Liverpool enough problems for Everton to get a result?

Find out all of that and much more in our preview of Liverpool vs Everton. We have a match preview, live odds, predicted lineups, team and injury news, our score prediction and more for this GW5 matchup.

Match Details:

Fixture: Liverpool vs Everton

Stadium: Anfield

Date: Saturday 20th September

Kick-off: 12:30pm BST

Premier League Head-to-Head Record:

Everyone remembers Tarkowski’s screamer in the 98th minute of the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park last season to make it 2-2. ‘Limbs’ does not do it justice. And as we discussed earlier, Diogo Jota was the difference between these two teams in this exact fixture last season, giving Liverpool a 1-0 win on route to their 20th league title. Overall, Liverpool do have the edge in recent years, with 3 wins out of the last 5 meetings between these two Merseyside rivals, with an Everton win in 23/24 and last seasons draw at Goodison being the other 2 of the last 5 meetings.

Liverpool Everton Last 5 Premier League Results

02/04/25 - Liverpool 1-0 Everton

12/02/25 - Everton 2-2 Liverpool

24/04/24 - Everton 2-0 Liverpool

21/10/23 - Liverpool 2-0 Everton

13/02/23 - Liverpool 2-0 Everton

Liverpool Overview and Form:

Liverpool have won their first 4 games of the new season in dramatic late fashion against Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal and Burnley. They are the first team in Premier League history to win 4 consecutive matches with winning goals in the 80th minute or later. While they showed some defensive frailties in the first 2 games, they have kept clean sheets and conceded very few chances in their last 2 league games against Arsenal and Burnley.

While they have some kinks to iron out, they have sured things up defensively and I have no concern about their ability to create chances and score goals. They have scored 9 goals in 4 games, scoring all types of different goals – beautiful team goals, set pieces, individual brilliance. There have been new players bedding into the starting lineup, bodies in and out due to child births and minor knocks, and a couple of key players starting slowly, namely Salah, but their performances will continue to get better as chemistry builds and Salah’s form improves. And now they get to add Alexander Isak to the mix.

The Reds have shown they can win in a variety of different ways and can come out on top in any game state against tough opposition. Their opponents are going to have to play 100 minutes of good football in a match to keep them from winning, as we have seen with their ability to stay calm and create good chances late in games to score.

Slot and Liverpool will look to control this game, control possession, play at the pace they want while limiting any Everton counter attacks, and then eventually Everton will crack under waves of constant pressure. Liverpool should create much more than they did at Burnley, and their final third play should be sharper. Slot’s team will try to put their attacking prowess on full display and to put this one away as quickly as possible, and make it 15 points from 15 to start their title defence.

Everton Overview and Form:

Everton have had a somewhat inconsistent start to their season, but overall the coaches, the players and Everton fans will be very happy with how things have gone thus far. A poor performance and a loss away from home to Leeds to open the season was concerning, but enter Jack Grealish and things all of a sudden turned around. Wins against Brighton and Wolves showed with Grealish, Ndiaye and Dewsberry-Hall this season, Everton will be a much better attacking outfit than they were last season. The inconsistency showed up last weekend in a 0-0 to Aston Villa, but Everton were certainly the better side overall, creating 1.5 more xG than Villa and taking 13 more shots.

Moyes has this team looking like a much better balanced side than last season. They can actually cause Liverpool some problems on the counter in this game with Grealish and Ndiaye on the wings, and Beto has caused Liverpool’s centre-backs trouble before. They have also been, as expected, pretty solid at the back, keeping 3 clean sheets out of 5 games so far but then they also conceded 2 goals to Wolves who have been poor this season. And Liverpool are by far the best team they have played so far this season.

Moyes will look to be compact and play a low block and look to limit Liverpool’s high quality chances and to be aggressive in duels and to look to hit Liverpool on the counter with his improved attacking options this season. Before they can even think about hurting Liverpool, they will need to earn their right to play in this game by defending resolutely, or this one could get away from them quickly at Anfield with Liverpool looking to right the wrongs of a poor performance last weekend despite the win.

Match Betting Odds:

Liverpool: 12/25

Draw: 7/2

Everton:21/4

Both Teams to Score Odds: 

Yes: 4/5

No: 19/20

Player to Score Odds:

Isak: 1/1

Salah 11/10

Make sure to check out the odds for Liverpool players to score in this game, as Liverpool have the highest predicted goals scored this weekend. The goalscorer odds for Liverpool Everton with our exclusive sign up offer is below!

 

 

Lineups will be updated throughout the week in live time as and when injury and lineup news is announced.

To head back to our main predicted lineups hub, click here.

Liverpool Predicted Lineup:

Liverpool Predicted Lineup GW5

GK - Alisson

RB - Bradley

CB - Konate

CB - Van Dijk

LB - Kerkez

CM - Gravenberch

CM - Szoboszlai

AM - Wirtz

RW - Salah

LW - Gakpo

ST - Ekitike

Liverpool Team & Injury News:

Slot, speaking to the media about Alexander Isak, stated “We had recovery yesterday and we are going to train this afternoon. First of all we just have to see how they all feel. All I know is Alex probably felt his body more than ever before after the 60 minutes he played so let’s see how he recovered today then we will see about the line-up later today and you will see tomorrow”.

Isak started against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night to the surprise of many. Isask looked sharp and pulled off some excellent touches, had really nice link up multiple times with Wirtz and nearly created a goal for Wirtz also. He played 58 minutes before being taken off for Ekitike. But after the game Slot spoke and specifically mentioned how he was surprised at Isak’s level of fitness and that he did not see him tire as the game went on; he felt Isak looked sharp and fit throughout. However, now on Friday saying Isak felt the effects of 60 minutes more than ever before, after barely playing for 4 months, does not indicate a start on Saturday is likely. It also does not feel much like Slot or Liverpool to start a player twice in 3 days after barely playing for 4 months. Ekitike has had a very good start to his Liverpool career and Isak off the bench for 30 minutes seems more likely.

Curtis Jones is now fit and will return to the match day squad this weekend.

Mac Allister was on the receiving end of a poor tackle that could have resulted in a serious injury. Luckily he was able to continue and seemed mostly fine, but he was brought off at half-time for Bradley, with Szoboszlai then moving from right-back into midfield.

Bradley was excellent when coming on against Burnley, and one of only a few Liverpool players who left that game with any credit. With Mac Allister’s injury concerns, I think Slot will start Bradley at right-back and start Szoboszlai alongside Gravenberch.

Ekitike, Salah and Gakpo will start once again with Wirtz behind them.

Liverpool Players to Watch:

Isak: Will likely start on the bench against Everton, after Slot said he was feeling the effects of 60 minutes against Atletico Madrid.

Bradley: Frimpong started against Atletico, which will mean Bradley starts on Saturday. He has had two excellent cameos against Burnley and Atletico.

Kerkez: Robertson started against Atletico, and could go again on the weekend after a good performance, but I have a feeling Slot will show faith in Kerkez and stick with the rotation plan.

Szoboszlai: Will start in midfield alongside Gravenberch after another good performance against Atleti.

Ekitike: Will start.

Mac Allister: Came on against Atleti but just does not look fully fit. Slot will probably look to keep him as an option off the bench for the next few games as he gains match fitness and shakes off the impact of the terrible tackle he took against Burnley.

Frimpong: Started midweek in the CL but I think Bradley has earned the start and is the better profile of right-back to go up against Grealish and Everton in general.

Robertson: Was impressive off the bench against Burnley and in his start against Atletico Madrid. He could start but I lean Kerkez.

Everton Predicted Lineup:

Everton Predicted Lineup GW5

GK - Pickford

RB - O'Brien

CB - Tarkowski

CB - Keane

LB - Mykolenko

CM - Gueye

CM - Garner

AM - Dewsberry-Hall

RW - Ndiaye

LW - Grealish

ST - Beto

Everton Team & Injury News:

Moyes, speaking to the media on Friday, revealed “Look we’ll see, they (Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitali Mykolenko) might make some progress, we’ve got another couple of knocks within the camp but we’ll see how they are”. This did not sound overly positive, with a lot of caveats and maybe’s. Mykolenko would be the much likelier to start given he picked up a more minor knock and has generally been fit over the past year, whereas Branthwaite has had a couple of extended periods out including from the injury he is returning from. Moyes last week spoke on Branthwaite saying “I think we’ll be a few weeks before we’re at that stage”, so I would be very surprised if he played this week.

Aznou returned to the squad in GW4, but only on the bench as Moyes opted to play Garner at left-back, as he had done in previous GWs this season. If Mykolenko is not fit enough to start then Garner will start at left-back again.

Everton have won two games on the bounce, and the new players have brought a real energy and quality to the team. Grealish and Dewsberry-Hall have been great since joining and are locked in starters at this point. Grealish and Ndiaye are guaranteed starters every week when fit.

Despite a poor performance, Beto will start against Liverpool. He has had some good games against Liverpool before and Moyes won’t throw Barry in to start in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.

Everton Players to Watch:

Mykolenko: A doubt for this game, but we will see if he can train Friday which would likely mean he can go.

Beto: Will start over Barry.

Aznou: Even if Mykolenko is not fit, Garner will start at left-back in that scenario.

Branthwaite: Almost certainly will be ruled out.

Barry: Will not be thrown in to start in the Merseyside derby.

Liverpool vs Everton Preview & Predicted Score:

Liverpool will set up in their 4-2-3-1 as they always do, their shape and how they play may change game to game but the set up and formation on paper is always that 4-2-3-1. Everton also will start in a 4-2-3-1, as they have done all season. They play their version a little differently to Liverpool to say the least.

Liverpool will look to put in a much better performance against their city rivals than they did against Burnley, and they almost certainly will. Liverpool under Slot and Klopp are famously known for poor first performances in the first match after an international break, and with an extra week of training together I think Liverpool’s attack will look much sharper than it did against Burnley.

Slot and Liverpool will look to dominate possession and establish territory in Everton’s half, while Van Dijk, Konate and Gravenberch attempt to nullify any kind of counter-attacking threat Beto, Grealish and Ndiaye can muster. Everton will look to sit deep and be compact and resolute, but aggressive and press at the right times in order to spring counters and get bodies forward to catch Liverpool in 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 situations.

I can see Everton causing some trouble in transition on the break with the new attacking talent they have, and can even see them scoring in this game if they are clinical. But I think with their new players continuing to improve game by game, their rhythm back after the international break, Isak now in the squad, playing at Anfield, with the elite chance creating side they are; Liverpool will play much better than they did last weekend and will be too much for Everton and should make it 5 wins from 5 played to start the 25/26 season.

Score Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Everton