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Liverpool v Everton: match preview via The Guardian

A sense of calm may have descended on Everton after three consecutive wins and clean sheets but Anfield brings one of trepidation and not only on account of their appalling record across Stanley Park. Jürgen Klopp is the only Liverpool manager in history to win his first three derbies, his team have plundered 12 goals in two games and look perfectly equipped to prey on Everton’s many weaknesses. Sam Allardyce has a decent derby record overall but it will require a stunning transformation – from both sides – to trouble Liverpool’s unbeaten home run against their rivals, one that stands at 17 league games. Andy Hunter

Kick-off Sunday 2.15pm

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Bad blood adds spice as Sam Allardyce and Jürgen Klopp prepare to meet again | Sachin Nakrani via The Guardian

Everton have not won at Anfield since 1999, but Allardyce, spurred on by memories of a previous meeting with Klopp, may be the man to change all that

To put it into context, the last time Everton won at Anfield, We’re Going to Ibiza! by Vengaboys had spent a little over two weeks in the singles chart and Tony Blair a little over two years in Downing Street. In other words, it was a long time ago. Monday 27 September 1999 to be precise – a fiery encounter in which Kevin Campbell scored the only goal of the game and three players received a red card, one of whom was a 19-year-old midfielder called Steven Gerrard.

Since then Everton have made 18 visits to the home of their derby rivals and either drawn or, more commonly in recent times, lost. The away derby has become a curse for the blue half of Merseyside, a weight that hangs heavy, the monkey they cannot shrug off, and for some Everton supporters it has become less a fixture to relish and more one to get out of the way.

Related: Sam Allardyce dismisses Anfield fear factor: ‘We’ve got Wayne Rooney’

Related: Liverpool’s Fab Four not the only derby threat, Jürgen Klopp warns Everton

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From Oslo and Brisbane to Manchester and Merseyside: the north-west derbies go global via The Guardian

World’s fans head for England’s Premier League double drama – United v City and Liverpool v Everton

It is, as Dag Langerød says, “a massive day” – Manchester United versus Manchester City, with Liverpool against Everton as an aperitif. Two derbies, major events in a footballing calendar, have fallen on the same day, throwing an unusually intense spotlight on the north-west of England.

This corner of the British Isles has the Lake District, Antony Gormley’s statues in the sea and, in Coronation Street, perhaps the most famous soap opera in the world. But in the era of a globalised television audience for sport, this is a weekend to illustrate the depth and reach of England’s most successful footballing region.

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Gylfi Sigurðsson via Everton Arent We

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First, he was the jewel in Everton’s glittering transfer crown. Then he was the unwitting centrepiece of a late summer shambles behind the scenes. He proceeded to be one of the focal points of a club out of form, out of confidence and out of luck.

Even in the shortest of spells at Everton, Gylfi Sigurdsson has become something of a talisman. Now, going forward, Sam Allardyce needs to look to him to be the figurehead of his Toffees side.

Sigurdsson never asked to be Everton’s record transfer – for a £45m fee that very few players below the elite can justify. Yet the expectation was there from the offset that the Icelandic playmaker would be the one to make things happen going forward. When pre-season optimism crumbled, the off-colour midfielder was naturally targeted for criticism. And the pressure showed. Nothing highlights the impact of confidence on performance like comparing the golden chance Sigurdsson missed against Burnley with the one he slotted home effortlessly against Huddersfield.

It could also be argued that being deployed on the left has hurt Sigurdsson’s chances, despite the fact he made appearances out wide for Swansea. As was evident during the West Ham game, the Icelander thrives when in the thick of the action. Playing out wide may benefit the full back he works hard to provide cover for, but it comes at the cost of more positive provision.

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Yet one of Sigurdsson’s more impressive qualities is his work rate, which ensures he is involved in all stages of play. Only Jonjoe Kenny, Tom Davies, Morgan Schneiderlin and Idrissa Gueye have made more tackles during Premier League action than him. He has made more tackles, with a much better success rate, than both Michael Keane and Ashley Williams. Only three players have made more interceptions. Going forward, Sigurdsson has weighed in with two goals and two assists – nothing special, but also not inconsequential. Away from domestic football, Sigurdsson also chipped in with a wonder-goal against Hajduk Split and assists in the home Europa League group games with Apollon Limassol and Lyon. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the only player to have made more attempts on goal than Sigurdsson, and only a small handful have played more passes in the opposition’s half.

Sigurdsson, who is renowned for covering a formidable amount of grass over 90 minutes, also gets involved in every phase of play. Wayne Rooney is Everton’s symbolic talisman, but it’s his Scandinavian counterpart who plays like one.

Being the focal point of a team would hardly be a new experience for Sigurdsson. For Iceland, a side which has stunned the world thanks to some incredible teamwork, Sigurdsson is the one teammates know can create something out of nothing. The midfielder was Iceland’s top scorer in World Cup qualifying. Two came in a pivotal win over Ukraine, one proved to be the winner away to minnows Kosovo, and the other, in the reverse fixture, sealed Iceland’s spot at their first World Cup. It was Sigurdsson’s cross that led to Iceland grabbing a stoppage time winner over rivals Croatia.

Swansea, as perennial strugglers, also leaned on Sigurdsson for assists and goals. His winner in their smash-and grab win at Anfield in January is the sort of thing that would go down very nicely indeed in the upcoming trips across the park. And one only has to look at Swansea’s attacking impotence now to understand the impact of his departure. Everton are crying out for players who can make a difference at pivotal times. Sigurdsson is one of those players.

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Allardyce needs that sort of quality as he looks to set up an Everton side that is much harder to break down – something which often comes at the expense of attacking impetus. Everton will be expansive at home, but will have to knuckle down on the road to arrest 2017’s horror form. That’s where Sigurdsson will have to shine. His set piece prowess will be indispensable on the road, where corners and free kicks may be the best ways to break teams down. Having the ability to drop back and win the ball also makes the Icelander a significant weapon in the Allardyce arsenal.

Rooney has the sort of magic touch nobody at Everton can match, but flashpoints have become rarer as the homegrown hero ages. Sigurdsson may never fully justify his inflated transfer fee, but what he can do is go from just one of the number 10 roster to a player Evertonians can look to as a match-winner. Some work needs to go into creating as much in open play as from set pieces, but most importantly he needs self-confidence and the trust of his manager.

A month ago, there were few who could justify Sigurdsson’s place in the Everton squad. Perhaps in the near future, Blues will wonder how we ever got along without him.


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Liverpool v Everton Preview via Everton Arent We

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So, renaissance or anomaly?

3 consecutives wins if you desperately grab at the deadest of all rubbers in downtown Nicosia on Thursday night against Halloumi AllStars. We’ll take what we can get this season I reckon.

Before we allow ourselves any semblance of hope however, the fixture computer just served us a right shitter with the annual crusade to piss mountain. And if you’ve forgotten the taste on piss mountain then I reassure you it’s bitter as [Poor language removed].

Maybe this type of mindset is the problem? Read on to not find out any answers that you may seek.

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Before some millennial wag with a head full of memes starts giving me a coaching session on mindset it’s not as easy as that. You see I’ve wished and believed that this year was different. That they were [Poor language removed] compared to before/us. That luck would finally fortune our side. It didn’t happen. Not once. Now the folly of youth turns 18 since Super Kev and it’s time for acceptance. It’s gonna happen and you need to distance yourself so it pains less. Objectify the event and deal with it.

The Huddersfield game was another welcome 3 points that weirdly moved Everton onto page 1 / 2 on Ceefax. Which is a bit mental when you consider how [Poor language removed] we’ve been this season, and that it put us 8 points ahead of a relegation place. Such is this Everton’s squad’s propensity for durge that no one is gonna relax until maybe 45 points are up, if we attain that like. Recent signs are decent as the team revisited the art of defending, and gouging the eyes of victory until submission.

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So there’s a bit less anxiety about the points situation going into our next game. That mad bit of hope that remains hopes it galvanises the royal blue shirts on the field to at least not collapse in the first half to a goal and pace jamboree, and even let us sweat on holding out for a point. Any sort of spawny [Poor language removed] win there and it’s town for the week. See the hope spring eternal there? Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane, as a decent Red once said.

OK I know why you’re here. So let’s start with the scoreboard. On their scoreboard it shows them as Liverpool FC. Where’s the need for the FC? Just because Shanky used to say it before they treated him like [Poor language removed] and that grandson of his changed his surname and raised his eyebrows in every media photo to accentuate the likeness doesn’t mean that they have to put it on a scoreboard 50 years later.

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Them bitters doh lar.

The problem is with goading someone is that the other person needs to have sufficient lack of awareness to resist against it for full affect. Kopites trying to gain bantz points against Evertonians over derby wins is a futile effort. Evertonians are far more certain of defeat in the fixture than they are of victory. If there is a more enjoyable scouse pastime than pointing at someone’s overconfidence imploding and shouting “[Poor language removed] ON” then I’m yet to experience it.

History bestows us with some beautiful moments such as Beasant 88, the truly sublime Thomas 89, Cantona 96, the victory bus 07 and the creme de la creme of Gerrard’s slip 14, when the Premier League Champs t shirts were already on sale in town and the last home game date weeks ahead fully sold out of any lodgings, as every other annoying Irish tit wanted to come to town to sweep up on cheap Instagram likes trying to super validate their non local connection. It’s bad enough once a year with the Grand National tempting over a load of ladbible obsessed Conor McGregor empowered Seamus and Padraig types, desperately over compensating their cheery eccentric approach to both life and alcohol. The fake [Poor language removed], but then that’s why they chose Liverpool.

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The kopite mindset is about superiority by proxy. The reflected glory masking clear self loathing in the being. Their house may stink (© EAW), their personality vacant, their existence superficial, bu yeh yeura bitter bloo and yer team are [Poor language removed] 5 times lar.

All absolutely correct, and believe us we would crow like [Poor language removed] if we’d won 5 European Cups. But breathe. Let the moment pass. And you’re back in the room wearing clobber so bad TK Maxx puts it near the till and your kids are calling someone else daddy. No ones fault but your DNA. The law of attraction dictates that Liverpool and you were meant to be together. The superficiality and self promoting cult with zero self awareness for which the world evolves round on its axis is always going to attract your average kopite fan. The premise of hope being torpedoed repeatedly in the most cruel fashion possible yet remaining steadfast is only going to attract the masochists of Evertonians.

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Some doctor called Dre once asked “what’s the difference between me and you?” and I’m not astute enough to answer it sufficiently in this try too hard preview. You notice the differences in mainly attitude I reckon. A few minutes talking to someone gives you and indication if they’re a red or a blue. Blue’s have a defensive shield and self deprecation from the torture of Everton. Kopites eat beans from the can, insist on Davy Liver to save 50p home at 2am as you get soaked on the steps of the bombed out church, and insist on splitting the bill. They also are happy to excuse racism of their players if they score lots of goals and it’s “only against a Munich”.

It’s true there’s contradictions where you look for every club but with them there’s a hell of a lot more and you’ll meet an equivalent of a Russian bot attack if you question it. Niasse made the most of it. There. Easy.

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But when the whole point of supporting a club is for reflected glory as a vehicle to gloat at others and raise one’s self esteem then maybe we are expecting too much authenticity from our nearest and dearest. Unless of course they happen to be supporting the club because it’s their local club. It’s disingenuous to mock authenticity without acknowledging the plenty of sound kopites out there, I count them as mates and family, but put a derby on the TV in front of them I waiver temporarily.

Them out of town ones are the more rabid though. You’ll never see them puff their chest out too much in the city as they get buzzed off. But go visit them in their native terrain of Rhyl, Carlisle, Tromso, Mogadishu or the Internet and you’ll see societal peacocks riding that big red vehicle of identity. They even use scouse words online to try and show how much they get “the Liverpool way”. With the Liverpool way being a direct line from their credit card to the merchandise till.

I can’t begin to tell you all the many deeds I do often to get one over them and ruin their day in any little way. I hope you are doing too.

A list of some of their players:

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Firmino – a heady mixture of Samba, unconvincing rap culture, teeth and scoring goals in comfortable wins. Using a body for art and expression, with a face that should have been kept hidden away in a Favela basement.

Salah – really good player.

Coutinho – really good player, desperately wants to play for someone else to avoid all the weird “playground restricted” types on the first two rows at Anfield continually filming him in the game on their androids.

Mane – really good player. Find a way to distract him if Everton are to get anything from this. With that cliff edge right angle of a forehead maybe if you printed a big H and put a circle around it then he would be harassed by helicopters coming to land into Speke.

Henderson – 4th cock of primary school and don’t you ever forget it. Hurt him.

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Milner – whole hearted jarg Alan Harper who’s due to retire back to the Bash Street Kids very shortly.

Lovren – do they rate him or hate him this week?

Mignolet – has a jaw that should have KIRKBY SKIPS stencilled all over it, test that bad [Poor language removed] shot zombie. But we won’t.

They’re a decent team in good form at the moment so facing them away from home is no too palatable for Everton. There is however very little pressure or expectation on Everton to come away with anything there.

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The division of the squad into stay at home and travel to Cyprus gives some indication of who may be in line to face the tricky reds. DCL or Niasse are going to be up there in some shape or form as there’s no one else capable up front. I reckon Rooney will be kept deep and protected by the legs of Gueye who’s a sucker for a 23rd minute yellow card. Davies has been also preferred but is a little out of form at the moment so perhaps a change there.

Can’t see any changes to Lennon on the right to work hard and compliment Kenny – who for once it would be sound to have a local lad that puts a foot in this game and not [Poor language removed] it. But not get sent off too easy. Sigurdsson seems to be easing into the team and his place in it, or even around him so will defo play.

Everton clean sheets are rarer than a Tory show of empathy and therefore I can’t see the Williams and Holgate pairing being broken up. Only thing that may happen is Keane is brought in as a third centre half to try and negate their forward four. Is Baines fit? If not then Curacao’s captain will be there somewhere and that terrifies me as much as it intrigues. We finally have a decent keeper in Pickford so hoping there’s a bit of Martyn at Anfield amongst him there.

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So have Everton collected the black brick at the bottom of the pool and can only now head back up? Like [Poor language removed]. Certainly not until after this game and the slapping we will receive in it. After that though maybe the rot has stopped and we can get on with weekends to be arsed about.

Right [Poor language removed] into these though, they’re [Poor language removed].


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