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A 21st is supposed to be a joyous event, a milestone on the path to adulthood, leaving behind the immature mistakes of the past. David Moyes is at risk of reaching that figure without receiving a key to the door at Anfield.
In 20 Premier League visits to face Liverpool Moyes has garnered nothing better than six draws and experienced nine straight defeats with four clubs. In order to change the record, it may be time to do something different with Everton on Saturday. The club won at an empty Anfield under Carlo Ancelotti during Covid but have not silenced the stadium since 1999.
With Everton emboldened by positive beginnings to the campaign, starting the weekend sixth, this could be the moment for Moyes to be more adventurous. The arrival on loan of Jack Grealish has brought new life to his forward line. The England international looks revived after becoming a bit-part player at Manchester City. Four assists in as many games show the threat he offers.
A goalless draw last Saturday against Aston Villa did not reflect the quality of Everton’s attacking but did show their continued defensive fortitude, three goals having been conceded this season. Everton’s expected goals (xG) was 2.08 but they got only two of 20 shots on target. The salient point is that they are creating opportunities and attacking with urgency. Grealish manufactured five chances against Villa, offering a creative spark not heavily associated with the team over recent years.
Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall enhance Everton’s armoury. The Senegal international brings his own brand of trickery and an uncertainty with the ball at his feet regarding what will happen next, an attribute that confuses and scares opponents in equal measure. Dewsbury-Hall has guile and intelligence, wanting to play progressive vertical passes when he can to keep Everton moving forward. There is even the enticing prospect of giving Tyler Dibling a debut off the bench to test the Liverpool full-backs.
Only three players in the Premier League have completed more take-ons than Grealish and Ndiaye, who have eight. Although Liverpool are top, there is an acceptance that they are vulnerable, and a more expansive Everton could exploit them. “We have got to be careful,” Moyes says. “We have to watch we don’t open ourselves up. We lost narrowly at Anfield and had a draw at Goodison [last season], both close games. So I think Liverpool’s signings have improved them. It’ll show, maybe not immediately, but it will show in time. We are improving as well. It is difficult to show improvement at the top for Liverpool, but we have a real chance to show we have made a step up. It doesn’t mean we are close to Liverpool yet but I am going to see if we can get a positive result if we can.”
One clear issue is the centre-forward. Thierno Barry is still settling and Beto has never given the impression of being prolific, though eight goals in 30 Premier League appearances last season give a faint indication he could be a useful striker.
When Everton drew with Liverpool at Goodison Park last season, Beto was dominant, causing Virgil van Dijk regular problems. He may not often be in the same league as the Liverpool captain but he has the ability to raise his game for box office events.
“Liverpool have played at a different level to us for the past few years and against teams that have been at a different level and they did in midweek as well,” Moyes says, referencing the Champions League and Wednesday’s win against Atlético Madrid. “I think we will go and try and do the best we can and we always have done. I don’t think there is any game we haven’t done that. At the moment I wouldn’t care how I won at Anfield. I would take any sort of victory I possibly could; it wouldn’t matter whether I played great expansive football or defended with a low block.”
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Threats come from all over the pitch for Everton, with Jake O’Brien and Michael Keane dangerous from set pieces. Keane was close to providing a winner against Aston Villa and the same level of intent in the box would be problematic for Liverpool. Variety is advantageous, to keep opponents needing to deal with consistent problems.
Liverpool have had issues at full-back. On the right, fitness concerns have limited the game time of Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley, forcing Dominik Szoboszlai to learn a new position. On the opposite flank, Milos Kerkez has provided mixed results and Andy Robertson replaced him against Atlético. Liverpool looked vulnerable down their left, from where the Spanish side got numerous crosses into the box. Everton will feel they can exploit the lack of consistency in the lineup of Liverpool’s back four.
History shows how difficult it is for Everton to win at Liverpool. Moyes knows pragmatism will be imperative if he is to change the record but he finally possesses the weaponry and style to threaten the champions. This could be the moment to loosen the shackles at Anfield.
