Coral’s Saturday Premier League double derby day early preview

Coral preview this Saturday’s double derby action featuring Merseyside duo Liverpool and Everton in the early TV fixture and north London pair Arsenal and Tottenham in the later game.

Strikers, as always, will be a main feature of these crunch battles, with the likes of Mario Balotelli, Romelu Lukaku, Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Adebayor all vying to be heroes in their respective showdowns. The quartet certainly have a wealth of experience in derbies.

At Anfield, we’ll get the pleasure of seeing two of the brightest young talents in the world in Balotelli (24) and Lukaku (21). They all know all about what these types of fixtures mean in England, with the latter already previously involved in this one.

The Belgian, who was on loan at the Toffees last term from Chelsea before making a permanent switch this summer, featured in both games in 2013/14. Lukaku netted twice in the thrilling 3-3 draw at Goodison Park, but left the pitch early in the reverse fixture at Anfield due to injury. He is 10/1 to score two or more again, or 15/8 in the anytime market.

Balotelli looks like he will get the nod to start again, with Daniel Sturridge returning from injury so should start on the bench. Super Mario has played in derbies for both Milan sides as well as for Manchester City against bitter rivals United, where he netted two in four appearances, and is therefore a 6/4 chance to score anytime.

Both sides come into this match in poor form, though, with the Reds (odds-on at 17/20 to win) one point ahead of Everton (3/1) in the Premier League on six after five games. The Toffees have not taken all the spoils at Anfield since 1999 in a fiery 1-0 victory which saw three cards, so a draw at 13/5 is a good shout.

Further down the country in north London, Arsenal (8/11 odds-on favourites) host Tottenham (7/2) at the Emirates in a fixture that has produced so many goals over the years. The Gunners will be without French forward Olivier Giroud again, so will have to rely on newest recruit Welbeck, who has netted once in six appearances so far for his new club.

England international Welbeck impressed last time out in the league against Aston Villa, creating an assist for Mesut Ozil’s opener, before scoring the second. He tops Arsenal’s charts to get a goal anytime again at 5/4. But, with short odds such as those and a woeful record in derbies for the Red Devils against City (one in eight), don’t pile your money on.