Liverpool must handle emotion of Everton's final Goodison Park Merseyside derby, says Arne Slot

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot hopes his first-choice side will handle the emotion of Goodison Park's final Merseyside derby better than the second string whose "unacceptable" performance resulted in them being dumped out of the FA Cup by Plymouth.

The Dutchman's gamble in leaving out nine of the side who beat Tottenham to progress to the Carabao Cup final last Thursday resulted in a 1-0 defeat to the Championship's bottom club on Sunday.

That starting XI still included nine senior squad players, including a forward line of Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, but they could not find a way to break down committed and organised opponents.

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The likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo will all be back for Everton's 122nd and final derby at their historic home, where the atmosphere is likely to be ramped up even more than usual.

"It should have an impact because if you are working at a club like this you should compete for every trophy. To lose against Plymouth is not acceptable," said Slot of Liverpool's cup exit.

"Now we have to show a different side of us because it wasn't only the result but the performance was far from what Liverpool's standards are as well.

"It is probably going to be a fantastic atmosphere and that is never easy to play against because every single time they cross the halfway line or get a corner the fans will cheer for that and then you have to be mentally really strong as an away team to resist all that.

"You still have to be focused on what you have to do: defending the corner, defending the set-piece and when you have the ball be as calm as you can.

"It is not the first time for these players playing in an atmosphere like this. I hope they can focus on what they have to do but it is not only tactical, you also have to stand up to those emotions.

"I noticed also in the Plymouth game the intensity of the tackles, how aggressive they were, was a quality of their players, but it was also definitely because of the emotions in the stadium, so we have to be up for that."

Slot said his players need to display "a cool head but not cool legs" in the cauldron of a Goodison derby, having lost there for the first time since 2010 last April.

"Every time you play against a team that wants to fight with you - and that is almost every time we play against any opponent but maybe this one even more - you have to be ready for that," added the Dutchman, whose team could go nine points clear at the top of the table with victory.

"You have to run just as much, be just as intense in tackles, not going across the line but being cool enough to play a good and firm tackle.

"That is where it starts and nine of 10 times after 10 or 15 minutes a game settles down a bit and then you can start to think even more about playing football.

"I have seen the game of last season, for example, and we were quite ready because after 10 minutes the referee had blown his whistle 11 times and 10 times it was in favour of Everton.

"The Liverpool players were ready to compete but every time they touched them it was a free-kick so I assume our players are ready for another battle for the simple reason they have been ready the whole season."

Trent Alexander-Arnold has missed the last two matches with a minor injury but Slot is hopeful he could be available having returned to parts of training.

Fellow defender Joe Gomez is looking at another spell on the sidelines after suffering a recurrence of the hamstring injury which put him out for all of January.

Moyes tells Everton players to embrace 'emotion' of derby

Everton boss David Moyes has urged his players to embrace the emotion and potential explosiveness of the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park as they aim to pull further away from the drop zone.

"I've been involved in some of these Merseyside derbies when it was Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard and it was a case of who is going to kick who first," he said at his press conference.

"I've got big memories from that. I don't think the games now are played in such a fashion. They are refereed differently.

"I think the players are much more aware of the way refereeing is now and what they have to do.

"It's part of why you're building the game up. You want it to be emotional and explosive. That's all part of derby games. That's what you want when you go and watch as a supporter.

"You want people being competitive and you want it to matter. We have to do that. We have to be aggressive and difficult to play against, and show the qualities we can at the right moments."

He added: "These have always been difficult games over my years. Liverpool have always been a tough opponent, but at Goodison it always felt a lot easier because we had the support behind us and we had a fantastic crowd. I think this game will be no different.

"We want to put on a great spectacle at Goodison and hopefully a good game."

Everton head into the game 16 places and 30 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League table but Moyes is determined to bridge the gap to their rivals in the years ahead.

"I think the gap between the two clubs at the moment is probably as big as it's been for a long time," he said.

"I have to try and bridge the gap and bring the clubs closer together.

"It was only in the last couple of years [of his first spell in charge] that we finished above them.

"It's something we have to aim to do again. The reason I say that is because they are a good guide. If you're finishing above Liverpool, you're probably finishing really high in the league."

Analysis: Slot calls for cool heads, not cool legs, for final Goodison derby

Sky Sports News reporter Vinny O'Connor at the AXA Training Centre:

"Arne Slot quoted a wise man who once said to him 'nothing good comes from losing a football game'.

"That encapsulated his mood having already admitted that missing out on the chance to go for the quadruple, so early, should have an impact, because working at a club like this you should be competing for every trophy.

"He reiterated losing to Plymouth is unacceptable and so now, in the Merseyside derby, they have to show a different side because the result and performance were far from the standards expected.

"The team he fielded, of course, was very different as well. At Goodison Park we can expect to see Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahim Konate, Alisson, Andy Robertson, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones return to the starting line-up at the very least.

"Trent Alexander-Arnold will also train ahead of the game and a decision as to whether or not he's ready to return will be taken from there.

"Joe Gomez is definitely out and there's concern around the fact that he's suffered another hamstring injury in the same leg, having only just returned.

"Aside from that, Slot again has the best part of a fully-fit squad to choose from for the last Goodison Park Merseyside derby.

"Both sides are tied on 41 wins at the famous old stadium and given the emotion there will be among the home support at least, Slot is calling for cool heads, but not cool legs.

"So calmness of mind while maintaining the intensity of work-rate and commitment is key, and even though Liverpool have a six-point advantage at the top of the Premier League, the Dutchman believes they can't slow down.

"He says: 'You cannot have a few games where you are not on top of your game. Because then all of a sudden another team catches you up. That's what the Premier League is, that's why it's such an exciting league and such a beautiful league to work in'."

Analysis: Victory over Liverpool would be up there with Moyes' greatest Goodison nights

Sky Sports News reporter Vinny O'Connor at Finch Farm:

"As well as the emotion swirling around the blue half of Liverpool with Goodison Park preparing to host its last Merseyside derby, David Moyes emphasised the cold hard reality remains that the most important thing is getting points to keep Everton in the Premier League.

"The long-term aim is to get closer to the likes of Liverpool. They're a good benchmark in David Moyes' view because if you can finish above them [like he managed to in his first spell], then you are finishing high up in the table.

"But getting back to the here and now…. Both sides go into the game tied on 41 Goodison victories in this historic fixture. Clearly Everton don't want to be on the end of a losing record, but the bigger picture remains continuing the improvement made under Moyes that has moved them nine points clear of the drop zone.

"Goodison can make a difference. The fans have organised a 'coach greet' in another display of their backing for which Moyes is thankful and hopes to repay them. 'They've been absolutely brilliant, they were great again at the weekend, even though we weren't at our best. We've all not got many games left [at Goodison] and everybody in the stadium is doing their best to make it really memorable'.

"Moyes' last Merseyside derby victory was October 17, 2010 when goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta secured all three points - will he be able to make Arne Slot's first experience of this rivalry instantly forgettable by harnessing the Goodison factor once again?

"'Goodison has always been a really intimidating atmosphere. It's a difficult place to play. I've had some great nights here as the manager. I hope I've still got more to come before we finish here at Goodison'.

"And you sense that victory over their local rivals in the context of this season would be up there with his greatest Goodison nights."

Liverpool's next five league games may decide the title

Analysis by Sky Sports' Richard Morgan:

Liverpool now face a potentially season-defining run of five Premier League games in 15 days that could go a long way in deciding the outcome this campaign's title race.

The Reds' progression to the Carabao Cup final on Sunday March 16 means their top-flight clash at Aston Villa, originally scheduled for that weekend, has been brought forward to Wednesday February 19.

• Liverpool's fixtures

As a result, Arne Slot's side can now concentrate solely on their league campaign, with Liverpool six points ahead of second-placed Arsenal ahead of Wednesday night's game at Everton in what's the final-ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, their game in hand on the Gunners.

Liverpool then host Wolves at Anfield on Sunday afternoon - live on Sky Sports - before that testing trip to Villa Park a week on Wednesday, followed by another challenging game at champions Man City [Sunday February 23] - live on Sky Sports - and the visit of League Cup finalists Newcastle to Anfield [Wednesday February 26] rounds off this scary-looking run.

By that point, it will be the Reds who would have played a match more than their rivals and with then just ten fixtures left in the season, we will well and truly be into the home straight.

But whether the Premier League ends up on Merseyside, or in north London this season, still may not be known by then if recent title fights are anything to go by, as Slot pointed out in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday's derby.

"This period, five games in 15 days, is what we've done for 15 months now," said the Dutchman. "Last season Arsenal only lost two of their last 15 or 17, but still Man City were able to win the league probably because they won every game.

"That is the league we are in, so the upcoming five fixtures are important, but the nine afterwards are important. But the first 23-24 games have been just as important."

Liverpool next five games

• Wed Feb 12: Everton [a] - Premier League
• Sun Feb 16: Wolves [h] - Premier League, live on Sky Sports
• Tues Feb 19: Aston Villa [a] - Premier League,
• Sun Feb 23: Man City [a] - Premier League, live on Sky Sports
• Wed Feb 27: Newcastle Utd [h] - Premier League

Why no one in Liverpool looks forward to the derby

I was asked this week if I was looking forward to the 245th Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. I think most Evertonians - or Liverpudlians for that matter - would admit to not actually looking forward to it. It's a game which just needs to be won, at any cost, and only then can you truly enjoy it, writes Sky Sports News reporter Alan Myers.

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Liverpool must handle emotion of Everton's final Goodison Park Merseyside derby, says Arne Slot