Liverpool ready for final derby at Goodison Park, says Slot

Liverpool are ready for their 122nd and final derby at Everton’s Goodison Park, manager Arne Slot said on Tuesday, adding his side are eager to bounce back from their shock FA Cup defeat by Plymouth Argyle.

Wednesday’s Premier League match, originally scheduled for December 7, was postponed due to Storm Darragh. Everton will bid farewell to Goodison Park, first opened in 1892, at the end of this season and move to the new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.

Liverpool lead the league standings on 56 points, six ahead of second-placed Arsenal while Everton are 16th with 26.

“I think it’s an extra reason the atmosphere will be even better than all the ones before. I haven’t been to one before but people tell me at Goodison Park, as at Anfield, it is always a fantastic atmosphere,” Slot said.

“I assume our players are ready for another battle tomorrow [Wednesday] for the simple reason that they have been ready for the whole season and many of them are experienced in this tie.

“We have to show a different side of us tomorrow because [losing at Plymouth] was not acceptable and not just that but the performance was far from what Liverpool standards are as well.”

Liverpool were defeated 2-0 at Everton in their last trip under their former managers, Juergen Klopp and Sean Dyche. David Moyes, who took over at Everton in January in his second spell in charge, has won three of his last four league matches.

“David did incredibly well [in his first term there] but in the last few seasons, Everton were not competing for top four any more. They are definitely in a better place than a few months ago,” Slot said.

Everton won 1-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion and 4-0 at home against Leicester City in their last two league games. They have kept nine clean sheets in the league this season, trailing only Liverpool and Nottingham Forest [who have 10 each].

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has been ruled out of the match, and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is a doubt, Slot said.

Alexander-Arnold has missed Liverpool’s last two games with a thigh injury and Gomez was forced off in the early stages of Sunday’s loss at Plymouth.

“Trent has done parts of a training session with us yesterday [Monday], not ‘sessions’. So, let’s see how he is today. He will train, hopefully, with us again and we will decide if we can take him to the game,” Slot said.
Reuters