Event of the Day: Everton versus Liverpool
Our event of the day is the Premier League fixture between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park. Everton are 10th and have had a mixed season, managing just 10 wins so far. They face their in-city rivals Liverpool. Liverpool are 2nd and will look to continue their winning ways in order to stay in the fight for the Premier League title. Be sure you don’t miss this match. Everton are a team looking for stability as they welcome Liverpool to Goodison Park for the 233rd Merseyside Derby. This will be 200th league match played between the two sides and if recent history is anything to go by, there is a clear favourite. The last time Everton beat Liverpool was in October 2010 and in the eighteen matches between then and today, they have drawn nine and lost nine. Coming into this match, the Toffees are 4-6 in their last ten matches, with those four wins accounting for 40% of their wins on the season so far. They have a single win against teams in the top half of the table this season, a 2-1 win against eighth place Leicester on October 6th.
While Everton currently sit in 10th, they feel like a team with no clear sense of direction. This may be an after-effect of losing Wayne Rooney just before the start of the season. Rooney was a hometown favourite who had started his career with Everton and returned to the team in 2017 after thirteen seasons with Manchester United. However, after only one season back in Liverpool, Rooney left on a free transfer to MLS side DC United in July 2018. While they made some big name signings after Rooney’s departure, no-one has stepped up to adequately fill the hole he left behind. For their opponent’s today, this is a must-win match. With ten games left in the Premier League season, Liverpool find themselves in second, trailing Manchester City by two points following their win yesterday. The small gap between the two sides means that Liverpool cannot afford to hold back, no matter the opponent. The Reds had held first place in the league since December 8th but three draws in their last five matches, and five straight wins for City, have meant that the Premier League is all to play for. Liverpool’s last league title came in the 1989-90 season and with the season they’ve had, they will not want to throw away this chance. Be sure you don’t miss what is sure to be an exciting derby match.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the NBA, where the Boston Celtics host the Houston Rockets at the TD Garden. The Celtics are 5th in the Eastern Conference, two and a half games back from the 4th place Philadelphia 76ers. They come off a strong win over the Washington Wizards and will be eager to challenge for a higher position in their conference. The Rockets are riding a four-game win streak and are 5th in the Western Conference. Star James Harden is having an MVP calibre season as the Rockets fight for the strongest finish possible in the West. This is sure to be a match you won’t want to miss. Elsewhere, the European Athletics Indoor Championships conclude in Glasgow. The Tokyo Marathon takes place today. On the European Tour, the Oman Open continues at the Al Mouj Golf in Muscat. In the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Winnipeg Jets at the Nationwide Arena. The 2019 USA Sevens tournament concludes at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. On the WTA Tour, the Oracle Challenger Series concludes at the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by Premier League