Liverpool v Everton: Key battles
Kenny Dalglish will make an emotional return to the famous Anfield dugout after nearly 20 years. His first week as a http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 manager has not gone according to plan but he can certainly end it on positive note, with a win over their cross-city rivals, Everton.
Dalglish’s last game as a Liverpool manager back in 1991 was an FA Cup match against Everton. The match finished 4-4 and was hailed as the game of the decade. Any repeat of that result and viewers will be in for some treat.
Everton will be buoyed by their win over Tottenham Hotspur and will be looking to pile on more misery on Kenny Dalglish and his men.
They say that form goes out of the window in a derby match and Liverpool would be hoping that it proves true. However, there are some players who can win the game for either team. Bettor.com believes there are going to be some key battles in the match which
can eventually decide the fate of either side.
Here are what we believe to be key battles for the Merseyside derby.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sylvain-Distin-c34430
Distin has already hailed the Spanish striker by saying that as a defender one cannot afford a concentration lapse against the Spaniard, as he only needs one chance to hurt you. This is exactly what Torres did against Blackpool. He was a given one sight
at goal – from a very tight angle – and he scored brilliantly.
However, Distin has been superb for Everton ever since he moved from Portsmouth. He is strong, quick and good in the air and is capable of handling the Spaniard in a one-on-one situation, but it is the movement of Torres that can really hurt Everton.
If Distin wins this Battle, Everton might just win the match, because against Blackpool, Torres looked the only decent attacking player for Liverpool.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mikel-Arteta-c25715
Neither of the two players is in top form. Meireles performed brilliantly in November 2010 but since then, he has been trying far too many difficult balls rather than keeping it simple. It will be important for him to keep the ball otherwise if he consistently
loses possession the way he did against Blackpool, Liverpool could be in trouble.
Arteta has not been able to reproduce the form that made him a fan favourite at Goodison Park. However, the Spaniard knows all about derby matches and was on the score sheet last time these two teams met. He is never short of confidence and if he is on song,
then Everton can really cause Liverpool all sorts of problems.
Although battles in midfield have decided Merseyside derbys, but considering the form of the two players, it might not be the case this time around.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Louis-Saha-c22459 v Martin Skrtel
Louis Saha was once one of the premier league’s top strikers. He is strong, has speed and is fantastic with both feet and in the air.
He seems to be a complete striker on paper but has failed to deliver it on the pitch more often than not. This is his big chance, with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Tim-Cahill-c35085 not returning until mid-February 2011 and Yakubu Ayegbeni out on loan until the end of the season. Saha is expected
to get a run of games in the team now.
Martin Skrtel has been far too ordinary this season and has committed errors in nearly every game. Although he will come up against an out of form and short of confidence Louis Saha, he still needs to be wary of the threat posed by the Frenchman.
If Distin and Saha win their respective battles, then Everton can make three defeats in three for Kenny Dalglish but there is every possibility that it can be the other way around.
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