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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will decide whether to play midfielder Joe Allen for the 222nd Merseyside derby at home to Everton. Join us for live scores from 7.00am AEDT.
The ex-Swansea player was absent from The Reds weekend’s FA Cup victory at Bournemouth with hamstring trouble.
He may have trained on Monday but Rodgers is concerned playing him could cause the strain to worsen.
Defender Mamadou Sakho (hamstring) is still up to three weeks away from being fit while Jon Flanagan looks to start after making a substitute return on the South Coast after a month out.
Everton Manager Roberto Martinez has said Seamus Coleman is definitely out while Sylvain Distin is a doubt.
However, if the Frenchman is passed fit, it may mean John Stones deputises for Coleman at right-back – but if Distin misses out, the versatile Stones could be picked to play at centre-half instead of John Heitinga, which could also result in a return for Tony Hibbert at full-back.
Martínez will also make a late call on including loan signing Lacina Traoré.
The Ivory Coast international first trained with his new colleagues on Monday as he has been affected by a hamstring problem.
The attacking Seamus Coleman’s absence at right-back may persuade Brendan Rodgers to opt for Luis Suarez as the nominal left-sided attacker in the Liverpool side, meaning far less emphasis on him being required to track back and help the Reds’ left-back defensively, resulting in – ominously for the Toffees – the Uruguayan being allowed to concentrate solely on his attacking.
Concerns also persist over Phil Jagielka, Antolin Alcarazell, Ross Barkley and Steven Pienaar.
Match Stats
Luis Suárez has netted in three of his four Premier League Merseyside derby appearances and
will be confident of improving his 22 goals already this term which included a strike in the memorable 3-3 draw at Goodison Park last November.
With both teams doing well in the Premier League there is more at stake than just local pride, fierce though it is as both teams are looking at a top four finish at the very least which could see The Reds hopes boosted by a win at Anfield – certainly considering Everton’s poor return at the ground in recent seasons.
Everton have won none of their last 13 Premier League visits to Anfield, drawing seven and losing six in that run
Join us at The Roar for what should be a cracking Merseyside derby.
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