Local derby number crunching: NLD japesters reign supreme

Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Everton on Sunday was quite hard work but also surely the most predictable win in the history of the Premier League’s three major local derbies (apologies in advance to fans of other silly little derbies, go right ahead and have your tantrums about not being included here in the comments) and that got us thinking, which is always dangerous.

Of the three – Merseyside, Manchester, north London – there really is only one that is about anything more than those admittedly all-important Local Bragging Rights. Only one where there is a meaningful rivalry outside the geographical. So we looked at some numbers and that half-baked initial thought was actually even more true than we thought. God bless Spurs and Arsenal and their ongoing commitment to absurdist banter, frankly.

We looked at the last 10 years because 10 is a good solid number isn’t it? And also it conveniently takes us back to 2012/13 which is both the last time United finished above City and the last time Everton finished above Liverpool.

Liverpool and Everton

2021/22: Liverpool (2) lead Everton (18) by 50 points

2020/21: Liverpool (3) beat Everton (10) by 10 points

2019/20: Liverpool (1) beat Everton (12) by 50 points

2018/19: Liverpool (2) beat Everton (8) by 43 points

2017/18: Liverpool (4) beat Everton (8) by 26 points

2016/17: Liverpool (4) beat Everton (7) by 15 points

2015/16: Liverpool (8) beat Everton (11) by 13 points

2014/15: Liverpool (6) beat Everton (11) by 15 points

2013/14: Liverpool (2) beat Everton (5) by 14 points

2012/13: Everton (6) beat Liverpool (7) by 2 points

Head-to-head: 8 Liverpool wins, 1 Everton win, 11 draws

Average points difference: Liverpool by 23.4

Average position difference: Liverpool by 5.7

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