{"id":539355,"date":"2026-04-19T12:18:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T12:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/539355\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T12:18:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T12:18:15","slug":"everton-v-liverpool-live-team-news-as-alexander-isak-starts-for-injured-hugo-ekitike-in-historic-merseyside-derby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/539355\/","title":{"rendered":"Everton v Liverpool LIVE: Team news as Alexander Isak starts for injured Hugo Ekitike in historic Merseyside derby"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>David Moyes happy to talk about Everton European hopes<\/p>\n

David Moyes has done superbly in his second spell at Everton and they\u2019re in a good position to qualify for Europe this season.<\/p>\n

The Toffees are 10th in the table but only one point behind Chelsea in sixth ahead of today\u2019s Merseyside derby – their game in hand. And there\u2019s no reticence from Moyes in talking about the European ambitions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a great position that Everton are in,\u201d he tells Sky Sports. \u201cWe\u2019ve not been in this position for a long time. Why would we not talk it up?\u201d<\/p>\n

Luke Baker19 April 2026 13:12<\/p>\n

<\/a>Everton v Liverpool team news<\/p>\n

It\u2019s certainly an attacking line-up from Arne Slot today! Alexander Isak starts up tip but Mo Salah, Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz are all in the team as well.<\/p>\n

It looks like Dominik Szoboszlai will be the fill-in right-back once more (although feasibly, Curtis Jones could slot in there) and Alisson is still not fit enough to return, so Giorgi Mamardashvili continues between the sticks.<\/p>\n

Everton line up pretty much as expected, with Dwight McNeil, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye providing the creative ingenuity behind Beto.<\/p>\n

Everton XI: Pickford; O\u2019Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, Beto<\/p>\n

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak<\/p>\n

Luke Baker19 April 2026 13:03<\/p>\n

<\/a>Everton team news<\/p>\n

And here\u2019s how Everton will line up. Beto leading the line for them<\/p>\n

Luke Baker19 April 2026 12:52<\/p>\n

<\/a>Liverpool team news<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the Liverpool team for this afternoon. We\u2019ll have full analysis shortly but Alexander Isak starts up top in place of Hugo Ekitike<\/p>\n

Luke Baker19 April 2026 12:50<\/p>\n

<\/a>Team news incoming<\/p>\n

We\u2019re a couple of minutes away from today\u2019s team news. The big question of course is who will start up top for Liverpool in place of the injured Hugo Ekitike.<\/p>\n

After a season-ending achilles injury to Ekitike, Arne Slot must now weigh up the risk of starting Alexander Isak, who is not ready to play 90 minutes, or use Cody Gakpo from the outset.<\/p>\n

\"HugoHugo Ekitike has been ruled out for the long-term after suffering an Achilles injury (Reuters)<\/p>\n

Luke Baker19 April 2026 12:43<\/p>\n

<\/a>Atmosphere building ahead of Merseyside derby<\/p>\n

It should be a cracking atmosphere for the first Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium today.<\/p>\n

Fans are flooding the streets around the ground already and anticipation is rising<\/p>\n

\"\"(Reuters)\"\"(Getty)\"\"(Getty)\"\"(Reuters)<\/p>\n

Luke Baker19 April 2026 12:34<\/p>\n

<\/a>Key battle: James Garner vs Dominic Szoboszlai<\/p>\n

One of the more intriguing contests today could be the middle of the pitch, with in-form James Garner up against Dominic Szoboszlai. <\/p>\n

Liverpool will hope to win in this key area to act as the platform for a derby victory. <\/p>\n

Both men have great engines, but its their passing that could also prove decisive. <\/p>\n

The Hungary international is third in the league on 2.0 key passes per game, whike Garner has 1.4 per game. <\/p>\n

While the England international has 3.0 tackles per game on average, putting him joint-second. <\/p>\n

\"\"(Reuters)<\/p>\n

Jack Rathborn19 April 2026 12:22<\/p>\n

<\/a>Could Everton launch late bid for Champions League football?<\/p>\n

With all the talk about Liverpool and qualifying for the Champions League again after their quarter-final exit midweek against PSG, could Everton suddenly find themselves in the hunt? <\/p>\n

A win today against the Reds takes them within two points of their rivals in fifth. Here\u2019s how their run-in looks: <\/p>\n

Liverpool (H) West Ham (A) Man City (H) Crystal Palace (A) Sunderland (H) Tottenham (A) <\/p>\n

Jack Rathborn19 April 2026 12:10<\/p>\n

<\/a>Liverpool’s run-in to secure top five and Champions League football<\/p>\n

With a four-point gap to Chelsea in sixth, Liverpool only need 12 points to guarantee Champions League football next season. <\/p>\n

And with six games remaining, four wins will be enough, though they do play Chelsea at Anfield, meaning they could only need two more wins outside that contest. <\/p>\n

Everton (A)Crystal Palace (H)Man United (A)Chelsea (H) Aston Villa (A)Brentford (H)<\/p>\n

Jack Rathborn19 April 2026 12:00<\/p>\n

<\/a>Pundits claim Liverpool are now \u2018underdogs\u2019 for Merseyside derby<\/p>\n

Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has claimed that Liverpool could be underdogs for this weekend\u2019s Merseyside derby against Everton after the Reds were dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.<\/p>\n

Slot\u2019s men have six games left of the domestic season and the first one comes this weekend in a Merseyside derby, though Fowler and former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney think that the champions could be \u201cunderdogs\u201d heading into that game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously the form in the last month, I know the Galatasaray [win was] a great result but I don\u2019t think Galatasaray are great, so they’ve been turned over by Brighton, beat by Man City. I think Liverpool go into this game as probably underdogs,\u201d said Fowler on Amazon Prime Video after the full-time whistle at Anfield.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s the first time in a long time I’ve spoke to so of many friends who are Liverpool fans and they\u2019re a little bit worried about the Merseyside derby,\u201d explained Rooney.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve seen this Liverpool team all season not give as much as they can, I believe. And I think this derby game has come at the wrong time for Liverpool,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\"\"(PA)<\/p>\n

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