Goodison Tactics: How can Everton hurt Liverpool

Wed 1 December 2021 6:10, UK

Everton face Liverpool on Wednesday night in the Merseyside derby, and it could be a very tough evening for the Toffees.

Rafael Benitez’s side have failed to win in their last seven league games and haven’t scored in their last three.

However, WhoScored claim that Liverpool’s main weakness is stopping teams from creating chances against them, and you would think the Reds can be got at.

Their full-backs play so high and wide that if the Toffees can pinch the ball back in central areas, they should be able to create plenty of chances.

Here we will look at two goals that the Reds have conceded and discuss how Everton can replicate.

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The first goal is from West Ham’s 3-2 win over Jurgen Klopp’s side not that long ago.

The Hammers pinch the ball inside their own half. Jarrod Bowen is waiting to receive the ball and go on a run.

Bowen picks the ball up and you can see that the Reds only have two men back. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson are well out of position. Bowen shows confidence on the ball and drives forward. Pablo Fornals makes a straight run.

Bowen carries the ball a long way and feeds it into Fornals who runs through and scores.

Now, this goal was mainly down to Bowen’s run. However, if a combination of Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure could pinch the ball high up the field, perhaps the Toffees could feed Demarai Gray.

He isn’t afraid to carry the ball and could fulfil the Bowen role. Meanwhile, Doucoure could be the one to make the late run.

Liverpool have so many players that can hurt you, but if the Toffees are brave and press in the right areas, they could have good opportunities on the counter-attack.

The next goal we are going to look at is from Brighton’s 2-2 draw at Anfield.

Brighton have pushed three men forward. One ball takes out a few Liverpool players.

Suddenly, it is three on two and Virgil van Dijk has a decision to make. Adam Lallana can see Leandro Trossard’s run.

Lallana slips the ball through to Trossard and he scores.

This was a great goal from Brighton’s point of view, and it shows that if Everton are brave and push men forward, they can and will hurt Liverpool.

Once that first pass finds Lallana, the Reds are in loads of trouble and can’t get men back to cover.

Therefore, if the Toffees can replicate this and get men forward, they could cause problems.

However, this will be a tough match, and Everton will have to be at their best to get anything.

In other Everton news, the Toffees still want to sign an English midfielder from a league rival.

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