Prediction & odds for the game: Liverpool (4/9) v Everton (6/1) – ST is backing the draw

When: Saturday, 20th February @ 5.30pm K.O

Where: Anfield

Liverpool and Everton will meet once again in the Merseyside derby this weekend in a game that could have huge implications for the top four race.

Liverpool

Liverpool aren’t going to keep hold of the Premier League title this season and that much is obvious with Manchester City running away with it at the top of the table. However, that doesn’t mean the Reds can simply shut up shop and move on, because they’ve still got a lot of work to do if they want to be playing Champions League football next season. Jurgen Klopp knows that, and he needs to manage his resources accordingly.

Back-to-back wins over Tottenham and West Ham seemed to give Liverpool a false sense of security at the end of January, but once February hit, that all went away. They lost three games in a row to Brighton, Manchester City and Leicester, only clawing back a victory against RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

Everton

Everton aren’t quite the world beaters they want to be just yet, but with their strong fanbase and a squad they can be proud of, the pieces are being put in place for them to succeed in the months and years to come. Their primary goal this season needs to be making their way back into Europe, and even if that’s only going to be a place in the UEFA Europa League, that’s still a huge step forward from where they’ve been in the last few years.

The Toffees’ form has been absolutely bizarre as of late with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows to go along with it. Newcastle, Fulham and Manchester City have beaten them across the last few weeks, they’ve scored in the final seconds to draw 3-3 with Manchester United, and they’ve enjoyed strong wins over Leeds and Tottenham – with the latter being a nine-goal thriller in the FA Cup.

Conclusion

The first meeting between these two earlier on in the season was pretty dramatic, and we’re expecting to see the same thing happen when they clash at Anfield. Liverpool are starting to slowly work their way back from the brink of disaster, but we don’t think they’re confident enough yet to see off the challenge of their local rivals – especially with someone as experienced as Carlo Ancelotti still being at the helm.

Our official scoreline prediction is going to be a 2-2 draw, ensuring we hit the over 2.5 goals mark in what should be a game in which you’d be smart not to blink.

Verdict: Back the draw at odds of 7/2 and the over 2.5 goals scored at odds of 4/7 (All odds are taken from bet365).

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If you want to bet on Liverpool vs Everton then head on over to the betting page. Alternatively, you can check out some of the other available fixtures on the soccer predictions page as this season’s Premier League drama continues.