MASSIVE MERSEYSIDE DERBY
OLD RIVALS: EVERTON HOPE TO FURTHER DELAY LIVERPOOL TITLE MARCH
The nightmare scenario for Evertonians of handing Liverpool the Premier League title with a defeat in tomorrow’s derby at Goodison Park has disappeared but Carlo Ancelotti’s team will still be desperate to turn the table on their rivals.
Second-placed Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Arsenal on Wednesday means that Liverpool still need six points to secure the first league title in 30 years.
Victory at Goodison and then against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Wednesday would secure that first domestic triumph of the Premier League era.
However, an Everton win in the derby could leave Liverpool still without their business completed before they face City on 2 July.
Their lead, 22 points, is so great that the outcome of the title is barely in question but the last thing Klopp and his team want after a three-month stoppage would be to wait yet more weeks to get the trophy in their hands.
In normal circumstances, Liverpool would face a hostile crowd packed into Goodison but the game is taking place behind closed doors.
Data from Gracenote’s study of the Bundesliga’s “ghost games” shows that the percentage of home wins has been sliced by more than half.
Everton have won 68% of their 37 points at Goodison this season and Ancelotti is undefeated in five matches there.
“The crowd is the 12th man on the pitch. The fact you don’t have them supporting you will make it more difficult for the home team,” said Ancelotti.
Everton have not won a Merseyside derby since October 2010.
The annual “beat the drop” contest will also be played out in empty stadiums, with nine games left to preserve top-flight status.
When the season stopped, bottom club Norwich City were six points behind 17th-placed Watford.
Second-from-bottom Aston Villa are five points better off. Third-from-bottom titBournemouth have punched above their weight but fell away badly in mid-season. Watford are one place above the drop zone, with West Ham, like Watford, out of the bottom three on goal difference. Brighton are two points better off in 15th. –