Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite emphasises the importance of entering Wednesday's final Goodison Park derby against Liverpool with a winning mindset. Liverpool, having lost only once in the Premier League this season, aim to extend their lead at the top by nine points with a victory. Branthwaite was instrumental in Everton's 2-0 win over Liverpool last March, which dashed Jurgen Klopp's title hopes.

"It is the Merseyside derby, it is another game that we are looking to win, that's it," said Branthwaite. "If you build it up too much then you can fall under pressure, so I think for us as players, we are going into it with the belief that we can get a result like last season. If you go into it bigging it up - all the pressure is on and everyone is watching - then you probably won't play your best. It will be different for the fans as they create the atmosphere for us to go out there and do a job. We need to go out and perform."

Iliman Ndiaye has been revitalised under David Moyes, scoring in his last three league matches to help Everton move away from relegation danger. The last Everton player to score in four consecutive games was Richarlison in early 2021, including a goal against Liverpool. Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah returns for Liverpool after resting during their FA Cup loss to Plymouth. Salah has contributed directly to 21 goals in Liverpool's 12 away league games this season.Liverpool are eager to bounce back from their unexpected FA Cup exit against Plymouth Argyle. This defeat ended Slot's ambition of achieving a quadruple in his debut season at Anfield. Following the derby with Everton, Liverpool face a hectic schedule with four Premier League matches in ten days against Wolves, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Manchester City.Slot confirmed that Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones might miss the derby due to injuries sustained against Plymouth. "I am not too sure if it was the same leg," Slot mentioned about Gomez's condition. Jones also expressed concerns about his recovery after training recently. These setbacks led to more young players being fielded than initially planned.Everton have won their last three league games with an aggregate score of 8-2, matching their total wins from their previous 21 matches. Moyes aims for a fourth consecutive league victory, something he last achieved with West Ham in November 2021 and previously with Everton in March 2008.

Historical Context and Predictions

Liverpool remain unbeaten in their past 19 Premier League fixtures (14 wins and five draws). However, history shows they lost two previous away games at Everton while on similar unbeaten runs: once in October 1978 and again in March 1988. A win would mark Liverpool's 100th victory over Everton across all competitions.The Merseyside derby holds records for most red cards (23) and most goalless draws (12) in Premier League history. Additionally, Liverpool have scored more last-minute winners against Everton than any other team against a single opponent. This match marks Slot’s first encounter with Everton as Liverpool manager. Historically, only Kenny Dalglish has won his first away league Merseyside derby as Reds boss back in September 1985. Despite recent successes for Everton against Liverpool, including a win last April, they haven't secured consecutive league victories over them since the mid-1980s.As anticipation builds for this historic clash at Goodison Park, both teams aim for crucial points amid intense rivalry and high stakes. The Opta Win Probability suggests a challenging match ahead: Everton have an 18.2% chance of winning, while Liverpool stand at 59.6%, leaving a draw possibility at 22.2%.