Richard Amofa recently appeared on the BT Sport Football Writers Podcast and has been looking ahead to this weekend’s Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool.
Amofa, of The Athletic, was on the panel alongside Mike Calvin and Adrian Clarke. Whilst discussing the return of Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara for Jurgen Klopp’s men, he also made it clear that Saturday’s fixture provides a huge opportunity for the Toffees to get one over their local rivals whom they haven’t beaten in the league since October 2010 (as per Sky Sports).
The Reds had taken maximum points in the Premier League season up until they suffered a heavy 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa just prior to the international break and as a result, Carlo Ancelotti’s side currently sit three points clear of the champions at the top of the table having got off to the perfect start.
Ahead of the 12:30 pm kick-off, here is what Amofa had to say:
“Mane is back in training, which is great, it’s a big boost for them. Thiago is back now as well and both players obviously give that added quality. I think before the international break, they were lacking fluency in their play, obviously, the Villa game was a big example of that but I think the break did kind of come at a good time for them, it allowed them to almost regroup and it probably could work in their favour in terms of stopping that halt and allowing them to kind of regroup.
“Whereas Everton, [had] great momentum, four wins on the trot, maybe the international break could be a negative for them in terms of halting that good momentum. So it’ll be interesting to see how both teams kind of regroup after the players come back. [There’s] never been a better chance for Everton to get one over their rivals.”
Will Liverpool win this weekend's Merseyside derby?
Yes
No
TIF Thoughts on Richard Amofa’s comments regarding the Merseyside Derby…
The journalist was keen to highlight that the international break could have a very different effect on both sides. Although Everton come into this one in the better run of form, the return of Mane in particular, in our view, will come as a huge boost to Liverpool. In his three Premier League appearances so far this season, the Senegalese international has already scored three goals (as per Transfermarkt).
The last meeting between the two clubs at Goodison Park ended 0-0 but given the clear improvement in Ancelotti’s team this season, it will certainly be interesting to see how this one plays out.