Liverpool face Merseyside derby cauldron, Chelsea defy expectations

Premier League leaders Liverpool will expect more magic from Mohamed Salah when they meet Everton in an emotional Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

Chelsea face Tottenham having emerged as unexpected title contenders, while West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui and Wolves manager Gary O’Neil battle to avoid the sack.

Salah’s blistering form could be the ideal antidote to Everton’s frenzied fans when Liverpool face their rivals for the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in the Premier League.

Everton host the Reds for the final time at their home of 132 years in a top-flight match on Saturday, with the Toffees due to move to a new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock in time for next season.

Goodison is always hostile territory for Liverpool but the significance of their latest domestic squabble means the Everton faithful will be ramped up even more than usual.

“I’d like to think it’ll bring our fans to the fore,” Everton manager Sean Dyche said.

Liverpool will be confident of silencing the raucous atmosphere if Egypt star Salah maintain his hot streak

On Wednesday, Salah, who has netted nine times in his last seven league matches, scored twice in a 3-3 draw at Newcastle, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s record by scoring and assisting in the same Premier League game for the 37th time.

Salah is out of contract at the end of the season and said last week he was “disappointed” by the club’s failure to offer him a new deal.

But, with 15 goals in all competitions this term, Salah’s value is clear to Liverpool boss Arne Slot.

“Every time we need Mo Salah he scores a goal. We are hoping and expecting he can continue this for a long time,” he said.

Slot expects a hostile atmosphere when Everton host Liverpool, but will only savour his first experience of the fixture with a victory.

Despite failing to win for just the third time in Slot’s 21 matches in charge in a 3-3 draw at Newcastle on Wednesday, Liverpool enjoy a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

“I think it’s going to be special for everyone -- for all the fans that are involved, for all the players that are involved and as well for the managers,” said Slot at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

When Enzo Maresca arrived at Stamford Bridge in June, the new Chelsea boss was widely seen to have inherited an impossible job.

Tasked with marshalling a bloated squad filled with talented but underachieving youngsters, while coping with demanding Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, the Italian had taken a major risk by leaving promoted Leicester to replace Mauricio Pochettino.

But fast forward just six months and the sound of Maresca being serenaded by Chelsea fans during Wednesday’s 5-1 win at Southampton underscored the 44-year-old’s impact in a short space of time.

Chants of ‘We’ve got our Chelsea back’ echoed around St Mary’s and ahead of Sunday’s London derby at Tottenham, the Blues sit in second place, seven points behind Liverpool, after extending their unbeaten league run to six games.

It might be too soon for inexperienced Chelsea to win the title, but a top four finish would be tangible reward for their improvement under Maresca.

“It was a very good feeling, especially because you can see that they are happy, that is our target,” Maresca said of Chelsea’s fans.

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne’s future at the club is still uncertain with coach Pep Guardiola remaining coy on whether the Belgian will sign an extension to his expiring contract.

The 33-year-old De Bruyne scored a goal and set up another as City won for the first time in eight games on Wednesday in a 3-0 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest. However, his contract expires next year and British media reports have recently linked him with a move away from the Etihad.

Guardiola will hope to have another strong performance from the midfielder when they travel to Crystal Palace in the league on Saturday.

“I’m not involved in (contract discussions),” Guardiola told reporters on Friday. “I would like to have him 23-years-old and sign a contract for 10 years, this is what I’d like, we’ll see.

“There are players (for who) the impact on the legacy of this club will be eternal, will be forever. Of course it is not easy (to replace them), but as a club, we have to find in the moment, if its going to happen, we have to find the best way.”

Agencies