Liverpool ready for ‘battle’ against Everton in final Goodison derby -Slot

Liverpool ready for ‘battle’ against Everton in final Goodison derby: Slot

Liverpool, United Kingdom

Arne Slot said his Liverpool players are “ready for another battle” as they prepare to take on Everton in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

The Premier League leaders have struggled to win at the home of their neighbours in recent years, with nine of the past 12 games there ending in draws.

Everton, much improved under returning manager David Moyes, will be leaving their historic home at the end of this season to play in their new 52,888-capacity Bramley-Moore Dock stadium on Liverpool’s waterfront.

Slot, preparing for his first and last derby at Goodison, believes the emotion of the occasion on Wednesday will add to Liverpool’s challenge.

“It’s probably going to be a fantastic atmosphere and that’s never easy to play against because every single time they cross the half-way line or they get a corner kick or whatever happens, the fans will cheer for that,” he said on Tuesday.

“And then you have to be mentally really strong as an away team to resist all that complete atmosphere and you still have to be focused on what you have to do, defending the corner kick, defending the set-piece, and when you have the ball, be as calm as you can in this fantastic atmosphere.”

He added: “I assume our players are ready for another battle tomorrow, for the simple reason that they’ve been ready for the whole season.”

The Dutchman, in his first season at Anfield, said his players would have to keep a “cool head but not cool legs” against an Everton team who have won their past three Premier League matches to ease relegation fears.

“Every time you play against a team that wants to fight with you, and that’s almost every time