"I don’t think this one will be a draw" - Robbie Savage predicts result for Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton
Robbie Savage expects a feisty affair when Liverpool meet Everton in the Merseyside derby on Saturday (October 21), backing Jurgen Klopp's men to prevail.
The Reds head into their clash with the Toffees at Anfield in superb form bar a controversial 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Klopp's side sit fourth in the league, with five wins in eight games.
Savage has backed Liverpool to beat their Merseyside rivals but he expects tempers to flare and someone to be sent off. He told Football365:
"This is the most drawn fixture in Premier League history, 69 draws in 208 encounters between these two sides. But I don’t think this one will be a draw."
The Premier League legend also said:
"I think home advantage at Anfield for Liverpool will be enough. Red card is a possibility. I think there’s been the most red cards in this Premier League fixture than any other. I’m gonna go for Liverpool to win 2-0 and a red card in the game."
The Reds beat Everton 2-0 at Anfield last season, with Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo on target. Sean Dyche's side did clinch a surprise 0-0 draw at Goodison Park.
However, the Toffees have made a disappointing start to the 2023-24 campaign, sitting 16th in the league. They have lost five of eight games and could be set for another relegation battle.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp isn't worried his midfielders have no experience playing the Merseyside derby
Klopp has insisted that he's unconcerned as none of his current midfield crop have played in a Merseyside derby. The rivalry between his side and Everton is one of the fiercest in English football history.
However, the Reds boss said that his stars have played in high-pressure games before. He said (via BBC Sport):
"It is a special game, no doubt, but they have all played in high-pressure matches. They are ready for it, no doubt about it. This is how it is when experienced players leave the club - you have to make your own experiences."
Liverpool's current midfield consists of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, and Wataru Endo. All of them arrived in the summer but have plenty of experience.
Mac Allister was a standout performer in Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup final win against France last year. Meanwhile, Szoboszlai and Gravenberch previously played for RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich which is a hotly contested affair in the Bundesliga.