Good evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for tonight's
FA Cup third round clash between
Liverpool and
Everton at Anfield!
The Premier League may be taking a break this weekend, but the football keeps on coming and this Merseyside derby tops the bill in one of the best third-round draws in recent memory. The two sides met less than a month ago, but this is sure to be a much different encounter this evening.
We will take a closer look at both sides in more depth a little later, but first let's check out the team news...
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Karius; Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Lallana, Mane, Firmino
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Ward, Wijnaldum, Lovren, Klavan, Ings, Solanke, Alexander-Arnold
EVERTON STARTING XI: Pickford; Kenny, Holgate, Jagielka, Martina; Schneiderlin, McCarthy, Rooney; Bolasie, Calvert-Lewin, Sigurdsson
EVERTON SUBS: Robles, Williams, Niasse, Davies, Vlasic, Lookman, Baningime
What can we make of those two sides, then?
Well, there really is only one place to start as Jurgen Klopp hands a debut to Virgil van Dijk, who became the most expensive defender of all time, the most expensive January signing of all time and Liverpool's most expensive player of all time when he joined the club for £75m on January 1.
It is a huge price tag to live up to, but Liverpool have wanted the Dutch defender for a while and his arrival should help address Liverpool's biggest weakness. The fans will be looking forward to seeing him in a Liverpool shirt for the first time tonight.
Whether Van Dijk and Philippe Coutinho's time at Liverpool cross over on the field remains to be seen with the Brazilian heavily linked to Barcelona and some reports suggesting that he has played his final game for Liverpool.
Coutinho misses out again this evening, then, due to a thigh injury according to the club, and Liverpool are also without top-scorer Mohamed Salah due to the groin injury which also kept him out of the New Year's Day victory over Burnley.
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In all Liverpool have made six changes from that last-gasp win over Burnley for tonight's match, including stoppage-time hero Ragnar Klavan being dropped to the bench alongside Lovren, who created the chance for him.
That allows Matip to return alongside debutant Van Dijk at the heart of the defence, while Andrew Robertson makes up the back four on the left. He replaces Alexander-Arnold in the starting lineup, with the versatile Gomez switching to right-back tonight.
Elsewhere there is a second start in five days for Adam Lallana, who only made his first start of the campaign in Monday's victory over Burnley. The England international is expected to play in a front three alongside Mane - who scored against the Clarets - and Firmino, who returns to the starting lineup.
James Milner also comes back into the midfield, while Loris Karius is chosen in goal ahead of Danny Ward, who could be leaving the club on loan this month.
As for Everton, their headline news is that Wayne Rooney once again starts, but in what looks like being a midfield three according to the teamsheet released by the club.
Rooney is no stranger to playing in the middle of the park now - indeed it is his primary position now - but this may be a slightly deeper role than he is used to. That said, he will be the most attacking of that midfield trio alongside Schneiderlin and McCarthy.
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Everton sold Ross Barkley earlier today just as the England international was getting back to full fitness, having missed the whole of the season so far.
Chelsea got their man for a cut-price deal of just £15m - a bargain in today's market - but Everton will look to reinvest that into Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun, who is on the verge of completing his move to Goodison Park. Sam Allardyce had initially hoped that the striker would be signed in time for this game, but the deal has hit a snag which has slowed its progress.
In all, Everton have made five changes to the team which lost to Manchester United last time out, two of which come in the attacking third after they failed to threat anywhere near as much as they would have liked against the Red Devils.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who won the controversial penalty which earned his side a draw in the Premier League meeting between these two, returns to lead the line up front, while Gylfi Sigurdsson is also back in the side as Oumar Niasse and Vlasic drop out.
There are further changes at the back as Jonjoe Kenny and Phil Jagielka come into the team in place of Williams and Keane, the latter of whom misses out entirely after needing stitches in his foot following the defeat to United.
Pickford, Holgate and Martina all retain their places in the defensive unit, though, as does Schneiderlin in front of them as Idrissa Gueye once again misses out with a hamstring injury.
Quite a few changes for both sides, then, but neither starting XI would look too out of place in a Premier League game so both managers are clearly taking this match - and this competition - fairly seriously.
For Jurgen Klopp this represents his latest and most likely chance to finally win a bit of silverware at Anfield, although Liverpool as a club have not lifted this trophy since the memorable 'Gerrard final' in 2006 - their seventh FA Cup crown.
The Reds come into tonight's match in good form, though. They are unbeaten in their last 16 games stretching back to October, which is their longest ever unbeaten run under Klopp.
Five of those games have ended all square - including an Anfield meeting with Everton already - which is too many for Liverpool's liking, but Klopp's side have won four of their last five, scoring 16 goals in the process.
Only Man City have picked up more points than Liverpool over the past six Premier League games, putting the Reds in pole position for the final Champions League spot with a three-point lead over fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur following Spurs' draw with West Ham last night.
Liverpool have actually only lost two games in the Premier League all season - only unbeaten Man City can better that tally - but their main problems have been draws, sharing the spoils on eight occasions.
A draw tonight will, of course, take us to a replay at Goodison Park, and Liverpool have been held to a stalemate in four of their last six FA Cup home games, winning just once in that time.
That includes a goalless draw with lowly Plymouth Argyle in the third round last year and, while they went on to win the replay at Home Park, they were knocked out by Championship side Wolves at Anfield in the following round.
That all contributed to a pretty miserable January for Liverpool last year, winning only one of their nine games across all competitions, with four draws and four defeats seeing them crash out of the EFL Cup, FA Cup and Premier League title race.
Liverpool have already equalled that win tally this year with the victory over Burnley, but they will know that they cannot afford another January dip if they are to keep their noses in front in the Champions League race in particular - yet alone close in on a first trophy under Klopp.
Liverpool haven't failed to progress from the third round in any of the last six seasons, though, last losing at this stage when drawn against Manchester United in January 2011.
The Reds are also unbeaten in their last 17 matches here at Anfield across all competitions, including all 15 so far this season, scoring 37 and conceding only eight. The last visiting team to win here was managed by Sam Allardyce, though, with his Crystal Palace side running out 2-1 victors in April.
Allardyce has already visited Anfield once as Everton manager and he would have been pleased with the smash-and-grab nature of the draw his side won that day, although things have taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks.
Everton come into tonight's match off the back of successive defeats either side of New Year, losing 2-1 to Bournemouth and then 2-0 at the hands of Manchester United on Monday. The Toffees had been unbeaten in eight matches since Allardyce's appointment prior to that, but they are now winless in four.
Everton fans will certainly take their current position over where they were when Allardyce took over, having slipped into the bottom three at one stage but now sitting in the top half of the table.
The likelihood of the Toffees being dragged back into the relegation battle looks quite slim right now, but they are still only seven points off the bottom three compared to 12 points adrift of the top six, which is what they wanted to be challenging for this season.
Everton have picked up only two points from the last 12 on offer in the Premier League, having amassed 13 from 15 at the start of Allardyce's reign.
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An FA Cup victory over their nearest rivals would be a welcome pick-me-up from those recent results, then, but Everton have been knocked out at this stage of the competition in two of the last three seasons, both of which came against Premier League opposition.
The Toffees did reach the semi-finals in 2015-16, but last year they were dumped out by Leicester at the first hurdle and now face the prospect of losing three FA Cup games in a row for the first time since 2008.
One positive heading into tonight's match is that Everton's away form is definitely on the up, with two wins and just one defeat from their last five outings on the road across all competitions - including a draw at Anfield.
Prior to that Everton had won just one of their previous 20 away games in all competitions, while across the whole of 2017 they managed only two Premier League away wins from 20 attempts.
Despite that improvement, Everton's away record remains pretty dire on the whole. Only three teams - Southampton, West Brom and Stoke - have picked up fewer Premier League points on the road this season, who no team winning fewer than Everton's one and none drawing more than their five.
Things don't get any easier for the Toffees either, with a North London double-header to come after tonight's trip to Liverpool, facing Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in their next two away games.
However, Everton's away record in the FA Cup is remarkably good, with only one defeat from their last 13 outings on the road in this competition, counting only normal time. The Toffees have won eight of those and drawn four in a run which stretches back to February 2006, since when their only loss inside 90 minutes came in a 4-1 defeat at Arsenal in March 2013.
Everton fans would love to continue that run tonight, not just to get one over on Liverpool but also to take a step closer to ending their long wait for silverware, which now stretches back 23 years to 1995, when they lifted this trophy for the fifth time.
PREDICTION! Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at Anfield, which means that it is time for a prediction!
FA Cup matches are always a little more difficult to call than Premier League games due to the rotation and some teams not taking it quite as seriously as others. A Merseyside derby always demands full commitment, though, and for that reason I am backing Liverpool to come out on top tonight.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Liverpool 2-0 Everton
It has been a long time since Everton had bragging rights over their Merseyside rivals - you have to go back to October 2010 for their last win in this fixture, when Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta scored the goals in a 2-0 win at Goodison Park.
Since then Liverpool have remained unbeaten in 15 games across all competitions, which is their joint longest ever run against the boys from the other side of Stanley Park, levelling the streak they went on from March 1972 to April 1978. A win - or even a draw - tonight would see the Reds create a small slice of history for this fixture.
This will be the 230th Merseyside derby between these two sides, and the 24th to occur in the FA Cup. Liverpool have won 10 of those to Everton's seven, with six ending as draws. The most recent FA Cup showdown came in April 2014 at Wembley, when goals from Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll fired Liverpool into the final after Nikica Jelavic had opened the scoring for the Toffees.
Liverpool have never beaten Everton in the FA Cup at Anfield, though, drawing each of their four previous such meetings.
This will be the first time these two old rivals have met in the third round of the FA Cup since 1931-32, but you only have to go back less than a month to find their latest meeting in any competition, when Liverpool dominated but were held to a draw when Rooney scored from the spot after Salah had given Liverpool a first-half lead.
The result may have felt like a win for Everton, but they have still not won at Anfield this century, last doing so in September 1999 when Kevin Campbell scored the only goal of the game.
Right, the teams are out and we're almost ready to get started here! A quick reminder of the team news before we do get underway...
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Karius; Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Lallana, Mane, Firmino
EVERTON STARTING XI: Pickford; Kenny, Holgate, Jagielka, Martina; Schneiderlin, McCarthy, Rooney; Bolasie, Calvert-Lewin, Sigurdsson
KICKOFF: Here we go then! Everton get us underway at Anfield!
Van Dijk clips his first pass over the top of the defence for the marauding Robertson, but it just skips away from the full-back and Robertson can only prevent it from going behind for a goal kick.
The first minor flash point of this derby sees McCarthy react angrily to some persistent play from Robertson. It is nothing of particular note, but shows that the players are up for this one.
YELLOW CARD! This one hasn't taken long to get heated! A well-contested 50-50 sees the ball squirm free and Gomez beats Rooney to the ball, with the Everton man cleaning the young defender out completely. Poor tackle, but nothing more than a yellow.
© Offside
A contentious Everton corner bounces all the way through to Calvert-Lewin, but it comes to him at an awkward height and he can't do anything with it.
No chances in the opening 10 minutes of this match, but there is all of the passion and commitment which you would expect from a Merseyside derby.
Liverpool have seen the lion's share of the possession in the opening exchanges here, but to Everton's credit they are already showing a lot more attacking intent than they did during the league meeting here last month.
SHOT! The first shot of the evening comes from Mane as he ducks inside and let's fly from range, but his effort is well off target.
Another late challenge from McCarthy on Mane, but Bobby Madeley opts against the yellow card this time. It will have been noted by the referee, though.
Calvert-Lewin is chasing everything for Everton tonight. The visitors have played a few balls over the top for him to run after using his electric pace, and the youngster looks willing to do the dirty work here. Nothing easy for the Liverpool defence.
Liverpool have enjoyed 63% of the possession in this opening 20 minutes or so, which is less than they enjoyed during the Premier League meeting but they still have a degree of control over this game.
Better from Everton now as they enjoy a long spell of possession themselves, although it all comes on the halfway line and as soon as they do try to move forward the attack breaks down.
Oxlade-Chamberlain does well to adjust his body and work space to shoot, but his low drive is blocked before it can trouble Pickford in the Everton goal.
It is very early days, of course, but the opening quarter of Van Dijk's debut has gone pretty smoothly for the Dutchman. He has looked very assured in possession and has made a few well-timed challenges.
CHANCE! The first semblance of a chance for either side falls to Liverpool as Milner just hangs out on the left wing before darting into the box unmarked. Gomez picks him out with a good cross, but Milner fires his volley wide of the target. Lallana was in the middle, but just couldn't get a touch on it.
Bolasie whips a couple of dangerous crosses into the box in quick succession, forcing Liverpool to concede a corner. Good pressure from the visitors, although the corner is comfortably cleared.
Good burst from Gomez down the right channel before finding Firmino, but the Brazilian's pass is poor and gives possession away. There is a lack of quality in the final third at the moment.
Lallana tries to float a cross to the right flank where Firmino is waiting, but it is coming over his shoulder and he can't do anything with it. Still waiting for this game to really get going, half an hour in.
SHOT! Another long-range shot from Mane, but this one ends up about as far away from goal as the last did. It is on his left foot this time, but it is never troubling Pickford.
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Everton (James Milner, penalty)
There is the breakthrough for Liverpool! After a pretty uneventful game so far, the hosts take the lead from the penalty spot with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
It is Holgate who gives the penalty away as Adam Lallana goes down under his challenge, with the Everton defender tugging the Liverpool midfielder back. It is a fairly soft one, but you can see why Bobby Madeley has pointed to the spot.
Milner steps up and sends Pickford the wrong way for his first goal of the season!
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Rooney and McCarthy in particular look fired up for this one, and they will just have to watch themselves. Rooney has already been booked while McCarthy has flown into a few heavy challenges in this opening 37 minutes.
Sam Allardyce did not look happy about that penalty decision, but it falls into the same category as the one Everton won at Anfield last month. This is what he said after that decision...
Big flashpoint here as Holgate bundles Firmino right into the crowd, leading the Brazilian to charge at the Everton defender once he is back on his feet. Bobby Madeley steps between them and has some calming words with the Everton players, who look as unhappy with Holgate as the Liverpool players are.
Bobby Madeley doesn't produce a yellow card for that incident, and the replays show that it was a really needless push from Holgate. Madeley is called over for a chat with the fourth official, but still nothing in terms of cards.
We're back underway now as Robertson swings a beauty of a ball into the box which Oxlade-Chamberlain just cannot reach. This match is close to boiling over now!
Here is that contentious penalty call which is the difference between the two sides as things stand...
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: Liverpool 1-0 Everton
The first half comes to an end at Anfield, then, and it is Liverpool who have the lead at the halfway stage of this FA Cup third round derby.
Chances have been at a premium at both ends of the field, but it is shaping up to be a very tasty derby following a couple of flash points. Neither set of players are pulling out of any challenge, and it is bubbling under very nicely at the moment.
The only goal of the game so far came from the penalty spot after Mason Holgate was adjudged to have hauled Lallana to ground inside the area, although the contact was fairly minimal and it is sure to be a decision which sparks plenty of debate.
James Milner stepped up to take it and waited for Pickford to commit before clipping his finish down the middle.
Aside from that, it really has been slim pickings in terms of goalmouth action, with Liverpool enjoying the lion's share of possession but all of it coming in front of the Everton defence.
Milner had the only other real opening of the first half when he volleyed an effort wide from the left side of the box, while Mane has fired two long-range efforts well off target. Everton, meanwhile, are yet to have a single shot of note.
This was the biggest flash point of the match so far, for which no cards were dished out surprisingly.
BREAKING NEWS: They may be in the midst of a Merseyside derby, but Everton have just confirmed the signing of Cenk Tosun...
KICKOFF: Liverpool get us back underway for the second half!
Rooney clambers all over the back of Can after losing possession to him, and while it is not enough for a second yellow, it will be another mark against his name for Bobby Madeley.
Rooney clips a dangerous left-footed cross into the middle which Calvert-Lewin attacks really well, but Robertson does brilliantly to deal with the danger.
Everton are already lining up their first change of the night - perhaps for Wayne Rooney to protect him from a red card.
EVERTON SUB: Sure enough, there is the change as Ademola Lookman replaces Rooney, who doesn't look particularly pleased about it.
CHANCE! Huge chance for Liverpool to double their lead! Gomez is left completely unmarked from a corner and the ball drops onto his head at close range, but the youngster gets his header all wrong and can only glance it wide of the target.
CHANCE! Another chance for the hosts here as Oxlade-Chamberlain plays the ball through for his fellow midfielder to race on to. Lallana chooses to take it early, but he is off balance and skews his finish wide of the target under pressure from a defender.
Everton win a free kick in a really good crossing position which looks to be comfortable for Karius, but he spills it. Fortunately for him it drops to a red shirt and Liverpool can scramble it clear, but that was a nervy moment for the keeper.
SAVE! Good pressure from Liverpool here! Milner whips a dangerous ball into the box which Pickford helps on its way, but it runs all the way through to Robertson. Robertson beats his man and breaks into the box, but his powerful effort from a tight angle is parried away by the keeper.
YELLOW CARD! This card has been coming from the very early stages as McCarthy goes into the book for catching Milner.
Liverpool break forward again here as Oxlade-Chamberlain bursts into the box, but his cutback is intercepted by Kenny with Mane lurking.
Liverpool have really begun to up the pressure in the last five minutes or so, with Everton hanging on at the moment.
CHANCE! Almost a debut goal for Van Dijk as he rises highest in the air before planting his header towards goal, but it is straight at Pickford, who gathers at the second attempt.
Just 25 minutes remaining in this match now, and as things stand it will be Liverpool going into the hat for the fourth round. Everton are running out of time here!
Kenny swings a cross into the box and Calvert-Lewin attacks it well again, but it is just too high for him to connect with it.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Everton (Gylfi Sigurdsson)
Everton have done it again! Against the run of play they storm up the field with a devastating counter-attack which ends up with Sigurdsson tucking the ball into the bottom corner.
Bolasie kicks the counter off with a ball forward to Lookman, who they cuts inside and picks out Jagielka - of all people - who is the further forward on the right channel. He cuts inside before teeing it up for Sigurdsson, who just passes the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
We're all set up for a superb finale to this match now! Just over 20 minutes remaining and still all to play for!
LIVERPOOL SUB: Liverpool make their first change of the evening as Georginio Wijnaldum replaces Lallana.
Bobby Madeley has been very lenient so far tonight, which is down to the occasion. He is trying to keep 22 men on the field and, in fairness to him, he has at least been consistent.
Liverpool send a wicked free kick into the box which drops into a very dangerous position, but Jagielka is the quickest to react and hammers the ball over his own crossbar.
Another chance for Everton to test out the Liverpool defence here as they win another free kick in a dangerous crossing position...
Sigurdsson's delivery is firmly headed away by Van Dijk, though.
LIVERPOOL SUBS: A double change from the hosts here as Dominic Solanke and Trent Alexander-Arnold replace Milner and Gomez.
CHANCE! Liverpool win a free kick in a good crossing position and it drops to Firmino, who fires a testing half-volley towards the far corner. It goes into a crowd of bodies, but Jagielka reacts well to clear it away.
EVERTON SUB: Everton make their second change of the evening as Oumar Niasse replaces Calvert-Lewin.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Everton (Virgil van Dijk)
There is your headline! What a way to mark your Liverpool debut - scoring what is surely the winner at the Kop end!
Van Dijk leaps like a salmon to meet Oxlade-Chamberlain's corner, and beats two Everton defenders as well as keeper Pickford to the ball. Pickford came and missed it, so some blame should be attributed to him, but it's all about Van Dijk now!
It may not be enough for Everton now, but here is that equalising goal...
YELLOW CARD! Solanke picks up a late yellow card for the hosts.
there will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match.
SHOT! Bolasie tries his luck on the turn from range, despite having Sigurdsson in support, but his effort flies over the crossbar.
FULL TIME: Liverpool 2-1 Everton
LIVERPOOL ARE INTO THE FOURTH ROUND OF THE FA CUP!
Well, well, well what an end to the game, and what a dream debut for Virgil van Dijk! If he could have written his own script tonight, I'm not sure he would have dared write this one!
The £75m scores the winner in a Merseyside derby in front of the Kop end with only six minutes remaining on his Liverpool debut to fire the Reds into the fourth round of the FA Cup and dump Everton out in the process. Sigurdsson had earlier cancelled out Milner's opener, but it is Van Dijk who will dominate all the headlines from this one.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as the FA Cup third round gets underway in style with a dramatic end to a Merseyside derby which ultimately sees Liverpool progress thanks to their new record signing. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
