Liverpool

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool host Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield aiming to extend a perfect record of four wins from their opening four Premier League games.

David Moyes is yet to win at Anfield in all 22 career matches as a manager.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes to analyse whether that could change on Saturday.

Liverpool's late show continues

Liverpool maintained their 100% winning record thanks to Virgil van Dijk's injury-time winner against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, with all five of their victories earned thanks to goals from the 83rd minute onwards.

Head coach Arne Slot said after the game that fitness was part of the reason for his team's remarkable record, adding "our mentality is we will always push". But are the champions more vulnerable this season?

The win against Atletico was the third time this season the Reds have let a two-goal lead slip and although they have recovered to win those matches, it will give encouragement to opponents that they remain in the game – and Everton may need all of the help they can get at Anfield come Saturday lunchtime.

Moyes' Anfield woes

The Toffees are yet to win away to Liverpool this century in a match in which the Kop contained supporters. Their only triumph in the past 25 years came during the Covid pandemic in 2021 under the stewardship of Carlo Ancelotti.

Moyes, meanwhile, has failed in all 22 attempts to win a game at Anfield with any club. He has travelled with Everton 13 times, losing on six occasions.

So why could that record change on Saturday? Moyes' most commonly used formation at Anfield has been 4-2-3-1 – which is the same tactical set-up which has been implemented so effectively this season.

The biggest difference has been Everton's summer of successful signings in which nine new players have been brought in at a record net spend of £97m.

Everton have played on the front foot in wins over Brighton and Wolves this season, while they were unfortunate to draw with Aston Villa last weekend after wasting a host of golden chances.

Having ranked 18th for goals from open play in the Premier League in 2024-25, scoring just 25, the Toffees have attacked with aplomb this season.

History suggests that Moyes tends to be more pragmatic away to the biggest sides and in Everton's last 10 visits to Anfield under the Scotsman over the past 20 years, the Toffees have scored a total of just five goals, converting only 6.7% of their chances.

They are statistics that must surely improve if Everton are to secure an evasive derby win.

Will an early or late goal win the game?

For all of Liverpool's domination of this fixture on home soil, derbies on Merseyside tend to be tight, wherever they're played.

On the last eight occasions that Everton and Moyes have visited their neighbours, there have been four draws and three games settled by a single goal.

There is also a sense that despite Liverpool's formidable firepower, they are more vulnerable than in recent seasons.

And while Slot's men sit top of the Premier League table, they have been reliant on late goals, meaning Everton have actually led for 26 minutes more in the Premier League this season – and an early goal could be crucial at Anfield.

All five of Everton's league goals have come in the first 55 minutes of games, including three in the opening half hour, while Liverpool are yet to go behind.

If Moyes' men can take, and maintain, an early lead, they must also withstand the inevitable barrage late on at Anfield - Liverpool have scored 47 winners after the 90th minute in the Premier League era, at least 13 more than any other team.

Everton have started the season well. Jack Grealish has given them that creative spark on the ball and Beto is a tireless runner up front.

On top of that, you know David Moyes will make them hard to break down too.

Liverpool left it late again against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday and I do wonder how much that game will have taken out of them.

They still have plenty of options in their squad and, while they haven't been at their best, they keep on finding a way to win. That's what I think will happen again here.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool maintained their 100% winning record thanks to Virgil van Dijk's injury-time winner against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, with all five of their victories earned thanks to goals from the 83rd minute onwards.

Head coach Arne Slot said after the game that fitness was part of the reason for his team's remarkable record, adding "our mentality is we will always push".

But just how rare is the Reds' knack for finding late winners and how does it compare to England's other Champions League entrants – Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle and Tottenham?

We have looked at those clubs' last five victories in which the winner was scored in or after the 80th minute. Those strikes have to be 'go-ahead goals' to be included. A 90th minute goal to make the score 2-0 won't count, even if the opposition later pull one back to make the final result 2-1.

Unsurprisingly, none of Liverpool's rivals score late goals at anywhere near the same rate as the Merseysiders, with Arsenal a very distant second. The last five Gunners victories which fit our criteria span 16 months and 64 games, the most recent of which came at Southampton on the final day of last season.

Tottenham rank third, with their last five late wins coming across a run of 79 games, slightly fewer than Chelsea (82) and Manchester City (83), with Newcastle (109) bringing up the rear.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Everton at Anfield (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Slot would not say whether Alexander Isak will be available to start the Merseyside derby and it will depend on how well the striker recovers from playing 60 minutes in Wednesday's Champions League game against Atletico Madrid.

• He said the team are not training until later today in order to give his players "a bit of extra time to recover and one of the best ways to recover really well is sleep".

• On whether Hugo Ekitike and Isak can play as joint strike force: "I consider many things and it depends always on how well they are doing. If both of them are in the best form of their life then you consider more to play them together, but it is quite clear that we have a certain structure of 4-3-3."

• He said he has 21 players to choose from now as they are "all fit".

• On Everton: "They've made some good signings, one of them is Jack Grealish and he is doing so well for them. They are a good team."

• He said "there is rivalry" between the two sides but he likes "what they did when Diogo [Jota] passed away by coming to Anfield". He added: "They showed their respect and in these moments of time, it is so nice to see that in a time of tragedy, the respect to both is still there."

• On what he expects from the game: "It's going to be a difficult game. I don't know exactly what they are going to do as they played long balls last season but are playing more out from the back this year. Our focus should be on what we need to do to win the game and that is being intense and winning duels."

• He acknowledged that there will be derby day debutants but he fully expects them to deal with the intensity and physicality it brings, adding: "We are not talking about rookies."

• In response to conceding two late goals: "It is not ideal if you have a 2-0 lead and give it away so it is something we need to improve as we need to improve many things. You can run out of energy towards the end of the season - mentally and physically - so it's never a good idea to keep on doing this."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to more of Slot's news conference on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

We asked you who your best Liverpool defender of all time is, given Jamie Carragher's praise of Virgil van Dijk this week.

At the time of writing, our poll sees two mean clearly ahead. Alan Hansen is on 46%, while Van DIjk is on 36%. Emlyn Hughes and Sami Hyypia are each on 4%.

Here are some of your comments:

Rob: Alan Hansen. Majestic, unruffled, always in control, read the game analytically, extra pace when needed, could bring the ball out of defence and a good passer. With Mark Lawrenson (somehow left off this list!) the greatest defensive partnership of the last 50 years.

John: Virgil van Dijk. The most accomplished all-round footballer to play in defence for Liverpool. Rarely flustered, scores goals, hits diagonal accurate long balls. Probably better than Franz Beckenbauer, who was way ahead of his time but didn't score the goals that Virgil does.

Richard: Bill Shankly said of Emlyn Hughes that he had "everything." Hughes played left back, central defence and midfield and excelled in all. He was one of the first to be able to play out from the back. Hughes' spirit, determination, and never-say-die attitude perfectly embodied what Shankly instilled in his players and what was known as "the Liverpool way". An incredible captain, vivacious leader and extremely lovable man. One of England's finest captains and so awfully underrated!

Mark: Alan Hansen, not even a debate. Could easily play in the current team as he was so comfortable on the ball and would, as they say now, "break the lines" with his dribbling out of defence. Cool, calm and collected. Always in the right place at the right time, exactly like Virgil van Dijk. What a mouthwatering partnership that would be to watch!

Colin: Phil Neal. His record speaks for itself: He won eight First Division titles, four League Cups, five FA Charity Shields, four European Cups, one Uefa Cup and one Uefa Super Cup during his 11 years at Liverpool. Brilliant penalty man as well.

Stephen: Hansen was absolute class. Unlike Van Dijk he would carry the ball forward into the space like a driving midfielder. His partnership with Mark Lawrenson was the greatest centre-half partnership in Liverpool history.

Virgil van Dijk scored a winner for Liverpool on Wednesday night to help the Reds overcome Atletico Madrid.

The centre-back has of course already claimed two Premier League titles, a Champions League and several individual honours.

His recent form saw Jamie Carragher heap praise on him - words you'll find on this BBC Sport Liverpool page.

So, given a host of great defenders who have worn the club's colours, if you can pick one only, who would it be?

Make a selection here

Tell us who would be your first pick and give us some reasons why here

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

While all eyes this season have been on new recruits, Virgil van Dijk has again been one of Liverpool's outstanding performers, vindicating the decision to hand him a new two-year contract in April.

The Dutchman may have turned 34 in July but he shows no sign of slowing down and remains one of the world's best centre-backs.

Van Dijk has had to cope with an increased workload recently, with Liverpool's attacking revamp at times leaving them vulnerable on the break. Those teething troubles have contributed to the Reds conceding twice in four of their six matches so far this term.

Liverpool's captain has therefore been busy, averaging more clearances per 90 minutes (9.5) and more successful aerial duels (6.3) than in any of his previous Premier League campaigns.

In fact, he leads the league in a number of metrics, making more clearances, winning more aerial duels and completing more passes than any other player.

While it is not uncommon for defenders in possession-heavy sides to dominate passing statistics, Van Dijk's distribution, particularly his raking diagonal switches of play, remains a key part of Liverpool's build-up.

He has played 430 passes into the final third since the start of last season, more than anyone else in the Premier League.

Plus, his tally of 170 successful long passes during this period is bettered by only Bruno Fernandes and Joachim Andersen among outfield players.

Image source, Opta

Yet, Van Dijk's most important work comes in both boxes. Early in his Liverpool career, he went 64 matches in a row without an opponent dribbling past him. These days beating the Dutchman is not quite so rare, though it has only happened five times in his past 26 league appearances.

At the other end, he is a potent threat from corners, as Atletico Madrid discovered. Only three players have registered more headed attempts at goal in this season's Premier League, all of whom are centre-forwards.

Van Dijk will be a week shy of his 36th birthday by the time his current contact expires, which begs the question how long he can maintain this level of performance – and how can Liverpool extend his shelf life?

The defender said in 2023 that the increasingly busy football calendar threatens the welfare of elite players, external, and his minutes will have to be managed sensibly during the autumn of his career.

He has started more than 40 league games in all but one of his seven full seasons at Anfield and when Liverpool do eventually replace Van Dijk it is likely to be costly and difficult.

Until then, supporters should continue to enjoy watching him while they can.

• Not a Reds fan? Find and follow your club here

Image source, Getty Images

Jamie Carragher - who made 737 Liverpool appearances - believes Virgil van Dijk will go down as "one of the greatest players to ever play" for the club.

Speaking on CBS' Champions League coverage after his late header secured the Reds a win over Atletico Madrid, he said: "At Liverpool, a lot of people get called legends because they've won the league or won the Champions League - there's lots of them.

"But, if you want to differentiate between them and the giants of the club - I'm talking Stevie [Gerrard], Kenny Dalglish, [Graeme] Souness, Alan Hansen, John Barnes, Mo Salah - the top seven or eight players. Without a doubt he's right in the middle of that, he's not at the bottom of that list I assure you.

"He will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play for Liverpool. Not one of the great centre-backs, one of the greatest players."

We want to know where you rank Van Dijk among the greatest defenders to have played for the Reds.

Click the link below to have your say.

If you could pick one Liverpool defender from history in your team, who would it be?

Liverpool and Italy winger Federico Chiesa could leave Anfield in the January transfer window to return to his homeland. (Teamtalk), external

Arne Slot is keen to bring 22-year-old Ajax defender Youri Baas to Anfield, though the Dutchman is under contract until 2028. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

European football expert Julien Laurens believes Hugo Ekitike would not have signed for Liverpool had he known Alexander Isak would follow him.

"He signed after a first approach from Liverpool to Newcastle for Isak, when they closed the door," Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"That was before Isak went on strike and stopped training with them. Then Liverpool reverted to Ekitike, who was on his way to Newcastle in the first place because he was supposed to be the replacement, or to play together if nobody came in for Isak."

Ekitike joined the Reds in July and has made a solid start so far, scoring twice in the league and providing one assist.

Isak, who signed on deadline day, made his debut against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday with Ekitike dropping to the bench, and Laurens says he thought that would always be the case.

"We knew that as soon as Isak was fit, the one to be dropped was Ekitike. It was just very clear," he said. "Can they play together? Of course they can. You could play Ekitike from the start but off the left, but that's not really his position. I'm not sure how well it's going to work.

"It was just one of Ekitike and Isak [in the team] and it was never going to be Ekitike over Isak unless Isak is not fit."

See the full clip here, external

Chloe Bloxam
Fan writer

Liverpool fan Chloe Bloxam says Arne Slot's side have had to "dig deep and not give up" in their opening five games of the 2025-26 season, after netting another stoppage-time winner to beat Atletico Madrid and kick off their Champions League campaign.

Speaking about Liverpool "winning by any means" and their need for last-minute winners so far this season, Bloxam said: "One of the players on the pitch has had to become a hero time and time again to get us three points, which sometimes we've deserved and sometimes we've not deserved.

"It is more than just luck. It is us putting fear into the opponents, going until the last minute and having the quality to get over the line.

"Are Liverpool playing brilliantly right now? No, absolutely not. Do Liverpool need to get better? Yes, because you can't keep relying on last-minute winners."

Find more from Chloe Bloxam on The Redmen TV, external

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Liverpool's performance against Atletico Madrid, as Arne Slot's side squandered a two-goal lead yet still managed to find a late winner at Anfield.

Here are some of your replies:

Jordan: Let's be honest, so far this season our performances have been pretty subpar, but I've never been happier. The pure chaos and adrenaline from the way we are winning just can't be matched. I'd prefer all of these games as they have been, rather than straightforward 3-0 wins. To me, the scoreline is nowhere near as important as the entertainment!

Paula: Atletico kept their heads even after going 2-0 down and their first goal had been building for the final 10 minutes of the first half. Liverpool gave them too much space, but they didn't stop pressing. Why though, do we have to bite our nails down to the quick before we get a last-minute winner again? Was it really necessary after being two goals up?

Phil: We are struggling to break teams down, even though we have a lot of flair and offensive talent.

Ian: Once again, Liverpool put pressure on themselves with poor defending. This needs addressing. Milos Kerkez is erratic, Andy Robertson is slow and Ibou Konate had some hairy moments again. A very entertaining game, but Liverpool had plenty of chances to put it to bed.

CJ: It wasn't a polished performance but there were moments that showed how good we're going to be. We are not at our best and we are still winning. I'm loving the Champions League nights.

Evan: Mohamed Salah looked hungrier than ever. Whether it was the big European night, playing up to the occasion or feeling the competition with Alexander Isak in the team, it was the first time this season that he's looked dangerous.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Premier League goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer believes Liverpool's failure to put Wednesday's Champions League opener out of reach of Atletico Madrid is as big of an issue as the goals they conceded, but praised the Reds' mentality to win the game.

Arne Slot's side raced into an early 2-0 lead and spurned several big chances before the visitors scored twice to level. Captain Virgil van Dijk then crashed in a late winner.

"Whenever you're as attack-minded as Liverpool are, you're going to give chances up to the opposition," Schwarzer told the Football Daily podcast.

"Certainly against the better opposition and Atletico Madrid as we all know are hardened warriors. They know what it takes to stay in games and win games, they know how to see out results.

"It was always going to be a tough game for Liverpool. Yes, they got off to the perfect start but they didn't finish the game off - that's part of the issue.

"Whenever you're 2-0 ahead against a team like Atletico Madrid and you're comfortable and dominating without killing the game you run the risk of conceding one.

"Once you've conceded one, then you get a bit shakier and all it takes is a deflection - like we saw for the second goal - and all of a sudden you find yourself back on level terms.

"But, what Liverpool do have is determination and grit. They didn't give up. They dusted themselves off and went for it again."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Thursday's back pages unsurprisingly heavily feature Virgil van Dijk after the Liverpool captain's late header gave his side a dramatic 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in their Champions League opener.

The Mirror and Express both focus on the Reds captain leading by example to secure his side the win with a commanding header with the respective headlines 'Captain Van-tastic' and 'Captain Marvel'.

The Mail opts for the headline 'The Late Show' to reference Liverpool again leaving it late to eventually secure a win this season, while The Star also focuses on the Reds needing an injury time goal.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Alexander Isak got a taste of the attacking riches he will be surrounded by at Anfield, as Liverpool were 2-0 ahead before he even got his first touch in the famous red shirt.

Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah put Liverpool in control before a typically resilient Atletico, albeit not the Champions League force they once were, clung on by their fingertips to move within sight of an unlikely point with two goals from Spain midfielder Marco Llorente.

Liverpool were stunned, but they have form for many things this season, spurning two-goal leads against Bournemouth at Anfield and away at Newcastle United before grabbing victory late on.

Isak showed some neat touches and exciting link play before running out of steam, so he was watching from the bench as Liverpool added another chapter to the nights of Champions League drama at Anfield.

As in their four Premier League wins, Liverpool went right to the wire before winning. This time it was captain Van Dijk who was the hero with a towering header in front of The Kop deep into stoppage time.

It was the cue for more wild celebrations.

Slot will have his concerns that Liverpool struggle to hold on to an advantage, but their sheer force of will made this another late, late show at Anfield.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool boss Arne Slot spoke to TNT Sports after the late victory over Atletico Madrid:

"If you want to beat a team like Atletico, which has an unbelievable mentality, you have to beat them with their weapon as well. That is what we showed again today - that we can beat them with mentality.

"I think we should've made it easier for ourselves. At 2-0 in the first half we got more than a few chances to make a third. At 2-1 in the second half we hit the post.

"We were so close a few times and if the margin is only one goal something can always happen and it happened. But again we showed mentality because in that 10 minutes that still had to be played, we were pushing, pushing, pushing and we scored a set-piece goal."

On if complacency crept in after going 2-0 up: "It can but it didn't happen too much with us this season that we were 2-0 up after six minutes. But it is clear that if we feel and need urgency then we are unbelievable.

"Now we need to make sure we feel this urgency for 90 minutes. Don't even look at the score just feel this urgency every second."

• Six of Liverpool's eight second-half goals in 2025-26 have now been scored from the 88th minute onwards

• For the first time in the club's history, Liverpool named a starting XI for a game in major European competition without a single English player (this was their 418th major European match)

• Rio Ngumoha became the youngest player to appear for Liverpool in a major European competition (17y 19d)