Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

Sport | Football

Goodison Park stages last-ever Merseyside derby as Reds look to go nine points clear in title race

George Flood2 minutes ago

Everton battle Liverpool tonight in the final Merseyside derby ever to take place at Goodison Park.

The Reds - who have Trent Alexander-Arnold back in the squad - have reacted well to the few setbacks they’ve encountered in Arne Slot’s first season in charge but a game at Goodison under the lights is a potential banana skin despite the serene nature of their campaign thus far.

Always a game to look out for when the fixture dates are released, Everton’s imminent stadium move only adds to the narrative, as does the chance for Liverpool to move nine points clear of Arsenal in the title race as they finally contest their game in hand.

Follow Everton vs Liverpool live below!

Everton vs Liverpool latest updates

Kick-off time: 7.30pm GMT; Goodison Park How to watch: TNT Sports 1 Everton team news: Mykolenko back in only change Liverpool team news: Alexander-Arnold on the bench Prediction: Liverpool to bounce back with win7 minutes agoDavid Moyes: Everton need 'few years' to compete with Liverpool

David Moyes is evidently not expecting tonight’s Merseyside derby to be quite as “blood and thunder” as he became accustomed to during his first spell in charge at Everton.

"When it was Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard it was a case of who was going to kick who first really," he said this week.

"I don't think the games now are played in such a fashion where you can quite be like that.

Liverpool were still always difficult to overcome and I think it was only in the last couple of years where we did finish above them in the Premier League.

"It took us years to prepare that and get a good enough side to be competing against Liverpool more regularly and probably at this moment we've got a few years to go before we're going to be ready to compete against Liverpool again."

Getty Images

15 minutes ago

Quite the pre-match stat this, with Trent Alexander-Arnold only a substitute after injury...

16 minutes ago

Boos for the Liverpool players as they come out to warm up at Goodison...

REUTERS

24 minutes agoAtmosphere building outside Goodison

Everton fans are making quite the atmosphere ahead of kick-off in the final Merseyside derby to be held at Goodison...

35 minutes agoVitalii Mykolenko makes Everton return in only change

Vitalii Mykolenko returns to the starting lineup for Everton tonight after missing the FA Cup defeat by Bournemouth with a calf issue.

He replaces Ashley Young at left-back in David Moyes’ only change from the weekend.

New signing Carlos Alcaraz is on the bench again.

It’s the same side that started the 4-0 thrashing of Leicester earlier in February.

Getty Images

38 minutes agoTrent Alexander-Arnold on the bench for Liverpool

Trent Alexander-Arnold is on the bench for Liverpool tonight after returning to training in recent days.

It’s 10 changes from the FA Cup shock at Plymouth as all the big hitters return and only Luis Diaz retains his starting berth in attack.

Alisson is back in goal after a two-game rest in the cups, likewise Alexis Mac Allister in midfield.

There’s only one change from the last Premier League game at Bournemouth, with Conor Bradley filling in for Alexander-Arnold at right-back.

Liverpool FC via Getty Images

53 minutes agoEverton lineup

Everton XI: Pickford, O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana, Garner, Lindstrom, Doucoure, Ndiaye, Beto

Subs: Virginia, Begovic, Keane, Harrison, Young, Alcaraz, Iroegbunam, Sherif, Heath

56 minutes agoLiverpool lineup

Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Jones, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah

58 minutes agoDavid Moyes eager to bridge gap between Everton and Liverpool

David Moyes admitted at his own pre-match press conference on Tuesday that the current gap between the Merseyside rivals was the biggest it had been for a long time.

However, the Scot is eager to try and bridge that huge gulf after signing a two-and-a-half year deal back at Goodison in January - starting with a positive result tonight.

"We've always been chasing Liverpool, probably no more so than now," he said.

"I think the gap between the two teams at the moment is probably as big as it's been for a long time.

"It's something I have to try and bridge and start bringing the two clubs closer together.

I certainly need to bring my club closer to their club if I can.

"There's a gulf between what's going on (regarding transfer comparisons) and everybody's aware of the situation here and the difficulty.

"But Everton had a great result against Liverpool last year (winning 2-0 in April) so that's the way football works.

"I've actually seen a bit of unpredictability in the Premier League this year with some of the results, so we have to go out there and try to turn the result around and make sure that we're the winners."

Getty Images

1 hour agoArne Slot: Liverpool must deal with Everton 'emotion' in final Goodison derby

Arne Slot has urged Liverpool to bounce back quickly from a momentous FA Cup upset by Championship strugglers Plymouth that he called “unacceptable”.

He has also called on his team to handle the pressure and emotions of the occasion with resurgent Everton no doubt eager to make it a final Goodison derby to remember.

"It should have an impact because if you are working at a club like this you should compete for every trophy.

To lose against Plymouth is not acceptable," Slot said.

"Now we have to show a different side of us because it wasn't only the result but the performance was far from what Liverpool's standards are as well.

"It is probably going to be a fantastic atmosphere and that is never easy to play against because every single time they cross the halfway line or get a corner the fans will cheer for that and then you have to be mentally really strong as an away team to resist all that.

"You still have to be focused on what you have to do: defending the corner, defending the set-piece and when you have the ball be as calm as you can.

"It is not the first time for these players playing in an atmosphere like this.
For more news relating to Arsenal, visit our sister site AFC Latest Live.