Under pressure Brendan Rodgers may have to settle for a point in the Everton v Liverpool derby
It is called the friendly derby and Everton and Liverpool have been perfectly happy to share the spoils in recent times.
They’ve been inseparable after five of their last six meetings, including each of the last three contests at Goodison Park.
On that basis alone, it’s hard to overlook Sportingbet’s 23/10 for the draw when they clash on Sunday.
Further encouragement to suspect that outcome is that only one point separates the teams in the table.
Hosts Everton sit fifth, four places above their rivals. Their record reads W1, D1, L1 at home, where there has been an average of 1.33 goals per game.
Liverpool’s away results mirror that sequence and their fixtures on the road have delivered a total of five goals to Everton’s four.
Considering the heat on Brendan Rodgers, he’ll be desperate to win. But he can’t afford to lose and would settle for the draw.
He’s also got the more concerning injuries to worry about.
Jordan Henderson, Dejan Lovren and Roberto Firmino all miss out, while there are question marks over Christian Benteke’s fitness.
Roberto Martinez should welcome John Stones back into his starting XI after the defender missed the 3-2 win at the Hawthorns.
Sporting Index are trading total goals at 2.5-2.7 and I’m a seller of that spread.