Everton vs Liverpool Best Bet – Feb. 12, 2025

Everton and Liverpool are set for an emotional final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Wednesday night. This rescheduled derby – originally postponed in December due to Storm Darragh – will mark the 245th meeting between the two fierce city rivals and the last at the Toffees’ historic home before their move to Bramley-Moore Dock.

Fittingly, the final Goodison derby will take place under the floodlights, a setting synonymous with some of the most memorable nights in the stadium’s long history. With Everton bidding farewell to their iconic ground and Liverpool chasing the title, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Everton’s Resurgence Under David Moyes

Everton’s Premier League survival hopes have been revitalized since David Moyes returned to the dugout, replacing Sean Dyche. The former Toffees boss has led the club to three consecutive league victories – against Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton, and Leicester City – helping them build a nine-point cushion above the relegation zone.

Scoring eight goals across those three wins, Everton have looked much improved going forward, particularly at Goodison. They achieved the remarkable feat of leading 3-0 at halftime in back-to-back home games for the first time in 63 years, a stark contrast to their struggles earlier in the season when they netted just two first-half goals in their opening 10 home matches.

Despite this newfound momentum, Everton suffered disappointment in their FA Cup exit at the weekend, falling 2-0 to Bournemouth in their final-ever cup match at Goodison. Now, they face another stern test against their biggest rivals.

Historically, Everton have struggled against league leaders, winning just four of their last 47 encounters against teams starting the day at the Premier League summit. Their Merseyside derby record is even more concerning – winning only six of the last 54 meetings since 2000.

However, after last season’s 1-0 victory at Goodison, Everton have a golden opportunity to secure back-to-back derby wins for the first time in 40 years.

Moyes fielded a strong starting XI against Bournemouth, and his lineup against Liverpool is expected to be largely unchanged.

Vitalii Mykolenko, who missed the FA Cup loss due to a calf injury, could return to replace Ashley Young at left-back, while Jack Harrison may start on the right flank in place of Jesper Lindstrom, following an impressive cameo off the bench.

Beto is set to continue leading the line in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja, and Youssef Chermiti.

Elsewhere, Dwight McNeil remains sidelined after minor knee surgery in January.

Liverpool’s Title Chase & Slot’s Derby Debut

For Liverpool, this clash is not just about city bragging rights – it could prove decisive in their Premier League title challenge.

A win at Goodison would see Arne Slot’s side extend their lead at the top of the table to nine points over Arsenal, having had this game in hand for over two months.

Slot, taking charge of his first-ever Merseyside derby, has big shoes to fill when it comes to this fixture. Jürgen Klopp’s overall record against Everton was impressive, but his record at Goodison Park was far less dominant, managing just two wins in eight visits.

Recent history suggests this won’t be a straightforward evening for the Reds. They have won just two of their last 12 away games at Goodison, and their confidence took a hit at the weekend as they suffered a shock FA Cup exit to Championship side Plymouth Argyle. The 1-0 defeat made Liverpool just the fourth-ever Premier League leaders to be knocked out of the FA Cup by a lower-league club.

Despite the setback, Slot’s side remains in contention for multiple trophies – they are 19 games unbeaten in the league, through to the EFL Cup final, and progressing smoothly in the Champions League. However, their defeat to Plymouth exposed a worrying reliance on key players, as a much-rotated squad struggled to match the intensity of the second-tier outfit.

The Reds enter perhaps the most challenging period of their Premier League campaign so far. Arne Slot’s men are set for five tough tests within two weeks that would see them facing arch rivals Everton (away) as well as Wolves (home), Aston Villa (away), Manchester City (away) and Newcastle (home) all until February 26th. 

Slot is expected to make wholesale changes, reverting to his strongest XI after the rotated side struggled at Plymouth. Key figures such as Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah all return after being completely rested at the weekend. Trent Alexander-Arnold is unlikely to feature, though, with Slot sounding pessimistic about his fitness.

Luis Díaz underwhelmed in the FA Cup defeat but the Colombian is expected to retain his place in attack, while Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Dominik Szoboszlai should form the midfield trio, with Szoboszalai usually deployed in a more advanced role.

On the injury front, Joe Gomez was forced off early into the Plymouth disaster and the reports suggest that he may have sustained an injury on the same hamstring that previously ruled him out for a number of weeks. 

Key Facts & Derby History

• No Premier League fixture has ended goalless more often than this one (12 times).
• Liverpool have scored more injury-time winners (5) against Everton than any other club in the competition.
• Everton have not won consecutive Merseyside derbies since 1984.
• Liverpool are aiming for their 100th league victory over Everton, which would make them just the fifth club in Football League history to achieve three-figure wins against a single opponent.

Possible Starting Lineups of Everton and Liverpool 

Everton: Jordan Pickford – Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitalii Mykolenko – Idrissa Gueye, James Garner – Jack Harrison, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Iliman Ndiaye – Beto. (4-2-3-1) 

Liverpool: Alisson Becker – Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson – Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai – Mohamed Salah, Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo. (4-3-3)

Spooky Express Betting Prediction

Everton’s recent resurgence, combined with the emotional significance of Goodison Park’s final Merseyside derby, will undoubtedly fuel their determination to make life difficult for their arch-rivals.

However, Liverpool’s attacking depth and overall quality are likely to prove decisive. Eager to respond to their FA Cup setback, the Reds should have enough firepower and experience to navigate a challenging night and secure a vital victory.

Liverpool head into the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park as strong favorites, with EveryGame’s latest betting odds on Wednesday morning offering -227 for a Reds victory, while Everton are priced at +600 to pull off a shock win. A draw, which has been a frequent outcome in this derby, sits at +360. Mohamed Salah is the likeliest scorer at -110, whereas Everton’s main goal threat, Beto, is a distant +400.

Given Liverpool’s historical struggles at Goodison and Everton’s defensive resilience under David Moyes, a double chance bet on Liverpool or Draw (X2) and Under 2.5 Goals at +135 with EveryGame provides strong value in our eyes. 

Spooky Express Free Play: Liverpool or Draw (X2) and Under 2.5 Goals +135 at EveryGame for 5/10 Units