Everton v Liverpool: can Blues end derby hoodoo?

So it’s almost that time of the season again as Everton fans ‘look forward’ to another derby game at Goodison Park on Sunday against Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Writing that last bit sticks in the throat. Having to concede that them lot across Stanley Park are leading the league is hard to swallow for Everton fans.

Can the Toffees produce something special and, at least temporarily, undermine their title hopes?

Let’s be honest given Everton’s consistently inconsistent league form and the fact the Blues are out of all the cup competitions, there’s not much else to strive for this season!

It’s been another campaign of pre-season hope being dashed against the rocks of what seems an all-too-familiar reality. Massive underachievement and incredibly frustrating failure.

Anyway getting back to Sunday’s match, what, if anything, can Everton do to stop their neighbours in their tracks?

Our neighbours have few weaknesses unfortunately as they have eliminated the defensive fragilities that plagued them over the last few seasons and of course still possess a very potent attack.

However although the Toffees have been struggling for a while, Liverpool had also been in a recent slump in form that had seen people questioning whether they could last the title race with Manchester City.

This seemed to be summed up in their goal less draw at Old Trafford last weekend. The Reds looked toothless in attack and lacking inspiration.

So going into Sunday’s game perhaps some Evertonians might have been thinking this wasn’t a bad time to be playing them. But then came the mid-week matches.

Ironically while the Blues produced one of their better performances since well before the new year in beating Cardiff away, Liverpool demolished Watford 5-0 at Anfield in a nice warm-up game for the derby.

Key players for them returned to form including the highly dangerous Sadio Mane and ominously Divock Origi scored again too.

From Everton’s perspective then, obviously Liverpool represent a bit more of a challenge than Cardiff City did.

But perhaps the best way to look at it is to reflect on the first derby of the season. The Toffees produced what I think was the best effort they’ve managed at Anfield in a decade, although that’s not really saying a lot.

Everton competed throughout the game and played some good football, threatening their opponents and being unfortunate not to score. However we all remember how that match ended, with the Blues seemingly on course for a well-deserved point before Jordan Pickford’s moment of madness.

But let’s not dwell on that. If the Blues could re-produce that level of intensity, self-confidence and decisiveness then they might finally end this dreadful derby run that hasn’t seen an Everton win since 2010.

That though is asking a lot. Can the players raise their game and deliver what would probably have to be the performance of the season to win this match?

Because although the Toffees won comfortably in the end at Cardiff, for long periods their display was still erratic and unconvincing. Sloppy passing and defensive lapses, especially early on, were still apparent.

Had the Bluebirds taken their very early chance the game might have gone very differently. And I think Everton will have to produce basically an error-free game on Sunday to win it.

But despite these reservations, I feel Marco Silva should stick with essentially the same side that started against Cardiff.

Yes there are issues such as whether to bring Kurt Zouma or Yerry Mina back or if Richarlison should be given another start. But Mina hasn’t exactly been outstanding recently while Zouma might offer more pace at the back.

As for Richarlison I would give him another chance to show if he can match the much-lauded Liverpool forwards. It’s risky but lets stick with the team that came off the pitch with a much-needed three points on Tuesday.

Phil Jagielka is a very experienced defender with plenty of derby day memories to draw upon and the revived midfield partnership of Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin was unexpectedly effective at Cardiff too.

Silva also has options on the bench with Bernard for example able to come on and change a game like he did in south Wales. My only possible change would be to give Ademola Lookman a chance as I don’t think Theo Walcott is offering enough on the right.

More from Prince Rupert's Tower

Who knows perhaps Silva will surprise us all again with his team selection. In the end though regardless of which individual players start or the team formation, what the Toffees need to show is self-confidence, the commitment to be first to the ball, especially at set-pieces, and calmness and quality in possession. Above all they must not be wasteful in front of goal and take any chances they create.

Finally perhaps Silva should show some old footage of past derby wins like the 1987-88 game at Goodison when Everton beat their rivals to deny them a record-breaking start to the season. Hopefully if they repeat that victory the end of the season will be different this time!