Mohamed Salah will be given until the last minute to recover from his injury
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Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah will be given until the last minute to recover from a groin injury for Saturday’s derby at Everton, says boss Jurgen Klopp.
Salah had to be substituted just after half-time of Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League win over Manchester City after scoring his 38th goal of the season.
Klopp said: “We’ve tried everything to make him available. There are 23 hours to go so let’s see what happens.”
Midfielder Idrissa Gueye should be fit for Everton after a hamstring tear.
Ashley Williams returns from a ban but Eliaquim Mangala, James McCarthy, Mason Holgate and Gylfi Sigurdsson remain injured.
Emre Can is expected to miss out for Liverpool – although it is understood he could still play again this campaign despite reports his season is over.Joel Matip, Adam Lallana and Joe Gomez and are all injured.
Toffees boss Sam Allardyce hopes his ninth-placed side can take advantage of playing the Reds in between their two Champions League quarter-final ties with City.
“It’s an advantage we could possibly take,” he said. “It’s a good time to play a derby for us in between the two Champions League games. But Jurgen has a very strong squad and they haven’t let him down all season. If he changes his squad it will still be strong and fresh.
“We have to stand on the front foot, be brave and be clinical if we get an opportunity.
“I’ve played Liverpool with other teams I’ve been with and we’ve won or drawn – and I’ve won at the big boys before so I know how to do it, but it’s a derby which makes it extra difficult.”
Klopp added: “Everton will be motivated on the highest level. They have a very good home record. They are a really good team with Yannick Bolasie back, Theo Walcott, Cenk Tosun in a good moment. They are altogether except Sigurdsson.
“That’s a good football team and they are very experienced in defence. Each Evertonian thinks at Goodison they have an extra percentage of desire. We need to be ready for that, but it’s a football game.
“In all of my derbies there’s always been an overly hard tackle. I hope we can go without that tomorrow. But we need to be ready for hard challenges, it’s a derby.”
MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES
Steve Bower: “Liverpool couldn’t be in better spirits as they head across the city looking to maintain their longest ever unbeaten run in the Merseyside derby. The confidence they will take from the midweek Champions League result and performance against Manchester City will be priceless.
“Everton, fresh from their own football lesson against Pep Guardiola’s team,will hope Liverpool’s physical exertions will help their cause.
“Jurgen Klopp remained calm after another win over the Premier League leaders and knows his team face another examination before their minds can turn to completing the job at the Etihad next week.
“Everton fans haven’t had the derby bragging rights for almost eight and a half years, and every Blues player will have to be on top of their game for that wait to end.”
Twitter: @SteveBowercomm
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
For Everton, it is probably the perfect game to respond after being taken apart by City. Some of the City players found Anfield hostile on Wednesday, but the atmosphere will be the same for Liverpool players at Goodison Park.
Probably one of the most important people in deciding the outcome will be the referee, because I think tackles will be flying in.
Prediction: 1-1
Lawro’s full predictions v v comedian Russell Howard
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MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Everton have won only one of their past 22 league meetings with Liverpool (D10, L11), and are winless in 14 Premier League derbies since a 2-0 victory in October 2010.
- Liverpool are unbeaten in 16 games in all competitions against Everton (W8, D8) – their longest ever run without defeat against their Merseyside neighbours.
- There have been 21 red cards in Premier League meetings between these sides, the most of any fixture in the competition.
- Everton have been shown 14 of those red cards, also the most for one side against another in the Premier League.
Everton
- Seven of Everton’s last eight Premier League defeats at Goodison Park have been against ‘big six’ sides, with the exception being Burnley’s 1-0 win there in October.
- No Everton player has been directly involved in more goals in all competitions this season than Dominic Calvert-Lewin (eight goals and six assists) – level with Wayne Rooney.
- Cenk Tosun has scored four goals in his past four games for the Toffees.
- Defeat would see Sam Allardyce become only the second manager to lose 200 Premier League matches (after Harry Redknapp, who has been beaten 238 times in the competition).
Liverpool
- If Liverpool win it will be the first time since the 1989-90 season that the club have recorded 10 or more away league victories in consecutive top-flight seasons.
- They have lost just twice in their last 11 away Premier League games (W8, D1).
- Mohamed Salah has scored 29 Premier League goals so far this season – one more will see him become the first African to hit 30 in a single campaign.
- Salah’s goals have earned his team 15 Premier League points – the highest tally in the top flight this season.
- Sadio Mane has scored on his past two visits to Goodison Park in the Premier League – with Southampton in April 2016 and in this fixture last term.
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