Mouth-watering Merseyside derby to kick-off Premier League weekend action

Sports Desk, Oct 16 (efe-epa).- Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool side will have a considerable amount of dusting off to do this weekend as they take on league leaders Everton in a hotly anticipated Merseyside derby, which kicks off the weekend’s Premier League action Saturday.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side are unbeaten so far and lead the table in the early stages of the season.

“Carlo is a sensational manager,” Klopp told a pre-match press conference Friday. “It was always clear that when he had the time to build something he will do that.”

Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has shone for Everton, scoring 10 goals in all competitions this season, including two hat-tricks. The 23-year-old even found the net on his England debut in the international break.

Colombian James Rodríguez has slotted in perfectly at the Toffees, scoring two against Brighton in the last match.

Everton are on the hunt for their first Merseyside derby win in exactly one decade.

Standing in their way are the reigning champions who in recent weeks have been beset by injuries and Covid-19 cases forcing some of their top players to the sidelines, including new signing Thiago and Sadio Mané.

Both have returned to fitness, Klopp told reporters on Friday. But the same cannot be said for first-choice goalkeeper Allison, who will miss the derby with a shoulder injury. The Liverpool boss said he had “made big steps” in his recovery process.

Allison also missed Liverpool’s shock 7-2 defeat to Aston Villa in the last round of fixtures.

Adrían stepped in for the Brazilian but spent most of the game watching as the Villains relentlessly dismantled Liverpools’ high press.