OPINION
The Merseyside derby is one of the most competitive – but also the most respectful – derbies that England has to offer – but there will likely be a number of homegrown talents left on the bench when Everton visit Liverpool.
Toffees boss Marco Silva does have a strong core of English players at his disposal, with the likes of Michael Keane, Jordan Pickford and Theo Walcott all regulars among the starting XI.
Having beaten Cardiff last weekend, the trio are all expected to start once again at Anfield, meaning that there are likely to be some disappointed figures on the bench.
One such star who will be dismayed will be 21-year-old winger Ademola Lookman with the 5’8″ (source: Transfermarkt) set to be joined by the likes of Tom Davies, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Leighton Baines on the bench with no changes expected in the starting XI for derby day.
This means that despite struggling to hit his top form in recent weeks, Theo Walcott will continue to start, Brazilian duo Bernard and Richarlison joining Gylfi Sigurdsson in completing the attacking options up front.
In midfield Idrissa Gana Gueye and Andre Gomes have established a confident partnership, complementing each other’s styles, while an unchanged back four means Kurt Zouma is set to miss out once again, having been usurped by Yerry Mina in the starting XI.
It is the same line up that Silva has called upon in recent weeks and despite the pressure of derby day, the Portuguese boss is not expected to change things up.