Liverpool host Merseyside rivals Everton in a FA Cup third round fixture at Anfield on Friday night and their respective managers have revealed the lineups for the mega clash.
Derby day team news…@VirgilvDijk makes his #LFC debut. pic.twitter.com/oUkuYnZhLJ
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 5, 2018
Virgil van Dijk, the world’s most expensive defender, starts for the first time since his £75 million pound move earlier in this week and the Dutchman partners Joel Matip in a four-man defence with Joe Gomez and Andy Robertson on the flanks while Loris Karius starts in goal.
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James Milner, Emre Can and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain feature in the middle of the park behind a front three of Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
As expected, the injured duo of Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho miss out, but Liverpool are still the fancied team and are widely tipped to progress.
🔵 | Your #EFC XI and subs to face @LFC in tonight’s Merseyside derby #EmiratesFACup tie at Anfield…
COYB! pic.twitter.com/pRwEj9HPH9
— Everton (@Everton) January 5, 2018
Everton are trotting out in a 4-3-3 formation, with Jordan Pickford retaining his place between the sticks, behind a back-four of Mason Holgate, Phil Jagielka, Jonjoe Kenny and Cuco Martina.
Wayne Rooney starts in midfield alongside Morgan Schneiderlin and James McCarthy while Yannick Bolasie, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin start up top for Sam Allardyce’s men.
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The 230th Merseyside Derby is expected to be a fiery one, with Liverpool looking to blow away their crosstown rivals while the Toffees will seek to clinch a smash and grab by soaking up the pressure and hitting the Reds on the counter.
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Liverpool: Karius, Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Milner, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana, Mane and Firmino.
Everton: Pickford, Kenny, Martina, Holgate, Jagielka (c), Schneiderlin, McCarthy, Rooney, Bolasie, Sigurdsson and Calvert-Lewin.
Match kicks off at 7.55 PM GMT/01.25 AM IST