McCarthy musters Everton ahead of Merseyside derby

Everton capitulated at Anfield last season, going down 4-0, as Daniel Sturridge helped himself to a brace. Liverpool’s campaign, however, has so far been marked with indifference, and inconsistency.

A 3-0 victory for Brendan Rodgers’ boys over Tottenham at White Hart Lane remains one of their only high points, with six points from five fixtures and a mid-table position; they are one place above rivals Manchester United, whose start has already been deemed a disaster.

Coral are offering odds of 4/1 (with a max stake of £10) on there being a red card in this Merseyside derby, which can be a tempestuous affair at the best of times.

Liverpool are odds-on at 17/20 to record another victory over the Toffees, who will have retribution on their minds. Reds boss Rodgers has described his team as “a little bit broken”, after two league defeats in a row.

It is a strange situation at Anfield. There is no doubt that when they click they will be a good team, though they are in transition at the moment, and clearly still dealing with the loss of Luis Suarez. Mario Balotelli is still re-acclimatising to life in England and, following one Champions League goal, he is still yet to net in the Premier League.

Balotelli is 11/2 to get on the scoresheet first, although Sturridge could yet feature. The backroom staff are monitoring him closely, and if he appears is 6/1 to match his brace from last term.

Rodgers is sweating on the fitness of midfielders Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho, who will be touch and go right up until kick-off, though captain Steven Gerrard, who notched the first goal last time is 8/1 to repeat that feat.

Everton, however, were shocked at home by Crystal Palace in their last league match, going down 3-2, though with odds of 3/1, they seem largely unfancied in this latest installment of the Merseyside derby.