Liverpool v everton
Liverpool v Everton – Saturday 14th April – Wembley Stadium (13:30)
It’s derby weekend at Wembley with both FA Cup Semi-Finals featuring arch-rivals from Merseyside and London. The ever so fierce Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton kicks the weekend off on Saturday. It will be the third time that both clubs have met each other at Wembley Stadium in the competition with the Reds winning FA Cup finals against the Toffees in 1986 and 1989, more recently. The Merseyside giants have featured in a colossal 46 semi-finals between them, with the Goodison Park side edging Liverpool 24-22. Liverpool have won the FA Cup seven times, most recently at the Millennium Stadium in 2006 while the last of Everton’s five wins came in 1995.
After overcoming Stoke in the sixth round of the FA Cup the Reds lost three successive matches in the league to QPR, Wigan and Newcastle before a home draw against Aston Villa last Saturday (at the time of writing this article they are yet to contest a trip to Blackburn). A point, which was secured courtesy of Luis Suarez’s late header, at least stopped the rot but it was another desperately disappointing afternoon for Kenny Dalglish’s side. It means the Reds have now won just two out of 13 league games since the turn of the year and they remain eighth in the table. Alexander Doni made his debut in goal as Pepe Reina started a three-match ban following his dismissal in the defeat at Newcastle six days earlier which means the ex-Roma shot-stopper will be in the spotlight for this semi-final. Dalglish’s side have been boosted by the return of Danish defender Daniel Agger from a rib problem. Glen Johnson is still struggling with a hamstring problem and Charlie Adam has joined Lucas on the sidelines until the end of the season leaving a space in the starting line-up for one of the youngsters in Jay Spearing or Jonjo Shelvey.
While Liverpool have wasted tens of millions trying to get back into the Champions League, only to have failed miserably, David Moyes has continued to bring success to Goodison Park on a shoestring budget. Nowhere is this more glaring than up front where Liverpool spent £35million on Andy Carroll only for the striker to manage just six goals in 40 appearances this season. David Moyes spent just £5.5million on Nikica Jelavic in January and the Croat has banged in five in 10 games for the Toffees. Everton warmed up for Wembley in emphatic fashion securing their biggest Premier League win in more than two years by thrashing Sunderland 4-0 at Goodison Park on Easter Monday. Magaye Gueye, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and Victor Anichebe were on the mark in the second half as Everton moved four points clear of Liverpool in seventh place. One drawback for Moyes is that the catalyst for the victory was Steven Pienaar, who is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur and is cup-tied for this match. The Goodison side have now lost just two of their last 17 games and netted 12 goals in their last five outings. Everton know form will count for little when they face their neighbours at Wembley in a match of this proportion. Nevertheless, in terms of momentum, form and even mental attitude, Everton will travel to London in vastly better shape.
Everton lost 3-0 in the Merseyside derby at Anfield last month when Moyes tinkered too much with one eye on the FA Cup but are tipped to reverse that result by winning this match and a ticket to the Wembley final.
