GOOD AFTERNOON AND welcome to The42′s live coverage of Liverpool’s FA Cup third-round clash with neighbours Everton at Anfield, an unprecedented 25th meeting between the Merseyside rivals in the world’s oldest competition.
Jurgen Klopp’s red men are a seemingly unstoppable force domestically while Everton are somewhat resurgent under Carlo Ancelotti, who steered them to consecutive victories before suffering a first defeat away at Manchester City.
It should be a good one.
We’ll have team lineups for you in a moment.
Reds arrivals 🙌 #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/64mxPDvmFK
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 5, 2020
🔵 | Game faces 🔛
— Everton (@Everton) January 5, 2020
Ready. #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/QPRIUZLeD2
Takumi Minamino makes his Liverpool debut with Cork man Caoimhín Kelleher on the bench.
Klopp has made nine changes in all to the team which beat Sheffield United in the Premier League. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is named on the bench after recovering from injury. Harvey Elliott will become the Reds’ youngest-ever participant in the FA Cup, and also the youngest Liverpool player ever to play in a Merseyside derby.
Liverpool: Adrian, Milner, Gomez, Phillips, Williams, Lallana, Chirivella, Jones, Elliott, Minamino, Origi
Subs: Kelleher, Mane, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Brewster, Hoever, Larouci
#️⃣1️⃣8️⃣#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/05bFdEXuoj
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 5, 2020
Ancelotti, meanwhile, has essentially gone full guns blazing, with only two changes from his side which fell 2-1 at the Etihad last time out.
This really seems like an opportunity for Everton to get the monkey off their back at Anfield.
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Holgate, Mina, Digne, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Sidibe, Walcott, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin
Subs: Stekelenburg, Baines, Keane, Delph, Bernard, Davies, Kean
Local rivalry indeed…
So, based on those lineups or a general hunch, who do you fancy this evening?
Poll Results:
You’ll Never Walk Alone rings out at Anfield.
It would appear Everton won the toss because Liverpool will be attacking The Kop in the first half.
Moments away from kick-off.
1′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Minamino gets us under way on Merseyside.
4′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: A couple of quarter-chances on either end as both Everton’s Djibril Sidibe and Liverpool’s Divock Origi fail to connect with two whipped crosses. Game is naturally yet to settle or find a pattern. Liverpool’s youngsters pressing at every opportunity.
6′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: The first real chance of the evening falls to Everton, and it was a good one! A half-blocked clearance falls to Dominic Calvert-Lewin whose left-footed half volley is saved by the feet of Adrian. A good stop by the Spaniard.
Meanwhile, James Milner is down for Liverpool and the shake of his head would indicate his day might be over.
9′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Milner makes way for another debutant, the 19-year-old Algerian-born Yasser Lanouci. The veteran seemed to pull up after denying Theo Walcott a chance before Calvert-Lewin’s shot.
Adam Lallana takes the captain’s armband. Joe Gomez is now the only experienced player in Liverpool’s back four.
This will be a real test for Jurgen Klopp’s extremely young side.
12′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Another big chance for Everton! Dearie me, how does Mason Holgate not score? Sigurdsson’s pinpoint free-kick cross finds the 23-year-old defender in acres of space but Holgate heads directly at Adrian who parries. Should have buried that one.
19′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Liverpool’s youngsters are growing into the game, their defenders making plenty of meaty interventions and energising the home crowd.
This one is fairly evenly poised at the moment despite Everton fashioning the only two real chances so far.
24′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: The 16-year-old Elliott has been Liverpool’s catalyst in the final third, menacing every time he gets on the ball. Not sure Minamino has had a significant touch in the opening 23 minutes but he’s bound to grow into proceedings himself.
Larouci has impressed since coming on at left-back, too. Putting himself about and distributing the ball well.
25′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: A Liverpool corner is headed out as far as Reds right-back Neco Williams, whose shot from outside the area tails off to the left-hand side.
27′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Another big, big chance for Everton!
A lovely pull-back by Theo Walcott picks out Richarlison, whose first-time, right-footed drive is again stopped by the feet of Adrian. That’s his best save so far, but again, the effort on goal was almost straight at him.
Everton could go on to rue some of these misses.
Down the other end, Lallana has a go off his left foot but doesn’t quite get enough whip on it. Good effort, though, from 25 or so yards.
31′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Ooft, Everton close again. It’s another splendid cross from Walcott on the run, but Calvert-Lewin is a whisker away from connecting with his diving header.
It does seem as though every time Everton get the ball wide in attacking areas, particularly down the right-hand side, they’re going to create a chance.
33′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Lovely ball in behind by Larouci and Minamino is just about out-muscled by Mina.
Moments later, the Japanese signing is close again. Origi’s whipped cross is delivered to Minamino on a plate but he completely misses the ball with his attempted header. Should have done better on the second occasion, but he’s becoming involved at least.
37′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Another Walcott cross and more hearts in mouths for Liverpool as Lallana heads wide of his own goal. It was actually a decent intervention by the former Southampton man, just a bit too close for comfort.
From the resulting corner, Adrian flaps at it and the ball flies wide. The Spaniard’s first error of the evening.
Moments later, Everton come again and Calvert-Lewin drives wide from outside the area. Ancelotti’s men applying some pressure at the moment.
41′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Oh, what a save by Jordan Pickford! A wonderful reverse pass by Elliott found Origi, who twisted and turned and arrowed a shot toward the far corner only to see it tipped wide by the English ‘keeper.
The replay shows Origi was offside so the goal probably wouldn’t have counted if it went in. The corner does count but Everton deal with it well.
47′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Everton manufacture the last opportunity of the first half but manage to botch it. In a two-on-one, Walcott’s attempt to find Richarlison takes a bit of the pace off the attack, and Neco Williams does well to hold the Brazilian up.
The ball richochets out to Sidibe who puts in a serious cross but Richarlison isn’t expecting it and inadvertently heads it well over the bar.
And that’s the half!
This one is delicately poised. Liverpool’s youngsters have had most of the ball, and Everton’s more seasoned charges have had most of the chances.
Fun game, plenty going on.
Catch you all in 12 or 13 minutes.
No changes to either side at the break, and we’re back under way at Anfield.
46′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: The visitors pick up where they left off. A corner drops to Morgan Schneiderlin whose effort from the edge of the area troubles Adrian for a moment but sails over the bar.
52′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Neco Williams — who has a touch of the Trent Alexander-Arnolds about him — drives forward and has a decent pop at goal which Pickford comfortably saves. Liverpool again beginning to assert themselves as this second half progresses.
57′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Lucas Digne is booked for two quickfire fouls on Harvey Elliott, who has been Liverpool’s best attacking outlet so far.
58′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Everton may have carved the first half-chance of the second period, but they’ve done nothing since. The Toffees really need to start firing again or this one will get away from them.
Fabian Delph looks like he’s about to make his introduction.
60′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Lovely move by the hosts involving 20-odd passes results in Elliott’s shot deflecting wide. Nothing comes of the corner, but Everton are finding it hard to even get out of their own half, here.
63′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Delph replaces Sigurdsson, and on too comes Moise Kean for Seamus Coleman.
So, based on that, Sidibe will retreat to right-back, Walcott will push further wide in attack and Kean will join Calvert-Lewin up top.
This has been one of the more interesting duels of the game so far.
67′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Sums up Everton’s second half so far that they break down the right through Walcott and, where in the first half his delivery was top-class, this time he slices a cross into the abyss despite having both Kean and Calvert-Lewin to aim for with Liverpool stretched.
68′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: The Ox is about to make his reintroduction for Liverpool. He went over on his ankle during the Club World Cup and left the pitch on crutches. Quite the recovery, and quite the boost for Klopp.
69′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Origi’s dipping, swerving effort is parried by Pickford, and Neco Williams wins a corner from the ensuing rebound.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is on for Minamino, whose debut was somewhat unspectacular but who showed flashes of why he’s an exciting addition to Klopp’s arsenal.
71′ – Liverpool 1-0 Everton: OHHHHHHH, WHAT A GOOOOOAAALLL!!! Curtis Jones’ first goal in senior football will be one of the best he’ll ever score!
The 18-year-old collects the ball at the edge of the area, takes a touch and curls and unstoppable effort into the top-right-hand corner. Pickford no chance. And Anfield erupts.
A stunning strike! 1-0!
73′ – Liverpool 1-0 Everton: Oxlade-Chamberlain carves the first opportunity after Jones’ exceptional goal, which is still being digested by the Anfield crowd. The Ox’s shot towards Pickford’s near post is saved by his England team-mate.
78′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Schneiderlin again fires over as an Everton corner dribbles out towards the edge of the area.
Bernard has replaced Walcott, whose second half was a bad as his first half was good.
Rhian Brewster replaces Elliott, who had a fine game. Hard to believe he’s just 16. Brewster is three years his senior!
82′ – Liverpool 0-0 Everton: Tidy play as Jones — urged to shoot — and Origi tee up Oxlade-Chamberlain, but his effort is caught by Pickford. Everton have produced nothing in this second half and really don’t look like they’re going to get back into this. A puzzling performance, but they’ve had the life squeezed out of them by Liverpool’s press over the last 35 minutes or so.
88′ – Liverpool 1-0 Everton: Goalscorer Curtis Jones has been named man of the match.
Everton haven’t had a shot on target in the second half, and are now pumping it long in search of some sort of opening. But it’s just not happening for them.
Liverpool’s youthful side have been so impressive in this second half. What a performance.
91′ – Liverpool 1-0 Everton: Sidibe puts in a decent cross and Kean connects on the volley, but the Italian is slightly off balance and hooks his effort over the bar. That could be it.
And there’s the full-time whistle!
Klopp’s kids are all right, you know.
