- Everton looking to enact revenge on Liverpool after 2-1 defeat early this season.
- At the time, the Reds were on track for another title but have greatly slumped since.
- The Blues will want to take advantage, and will need star man Ndiaye in top form.
Everton enters a Merseyside Derby on par with Liverpool for the first time in years.
Both sides are in the race for the Champions League, and a win for the Blues would close the gap on their rivals to just two points.
It has been a positive season for the Toffees, who have escaped the fears of relegation for the first time since 2021, whereas the Reds have failed to capitalise on a brilliant debut season from Arne Slot, after spending over £400 million last summer.
But form goes out of the window on Derby Day, and if Everton are to achieve a precious victory, they will need this man to be on top form.
lliman Ndiaye can be the difference for Everton
Iliman Ndiaye has become a fan’s favourite since moving from Marseille in 2024, and he simply heightens David Moyes’ team.
He was the club’s top scorer in his first season and has six goals in the league this year, but his impact stretches further than this.
As Everton’s primary attacker, he sets the tempo of the side and pushes his team up the field with his darting runs and dazzling skills.
Ndiaye went off injured in last season’s home derby, so he will hope he gets his opportunity to face Liverpool with a home crowd spurring him on for 90 minutes.
Slot’s defence has been shaky this season and has a tendency to crack once a gap has been found.
If Everton wants to exploit this, their star winger will be needed to put the Reds’ back four under pressure and create chances for himself, as well as his teammates.
Where will Iliman Ndiaye feature in the starting XI?
It is expected that Moyes will go with an unchanged side for the Merseyside Derby, meaning Ndiaye will start on the right wing, with Beto as a lone striker, and Dwight McNeil on the opposite side of the pitch.
The conflicting play styles of McNeil and Ndiaye make the 26-year-old’s job even more crucial, as the former Burnley man is a lot slower in his build-up play, with the Blues more reliant on his deliveries into the box.
Milos Kerkez has been Liverpool’s first-choice left back this season, meaning he will likely shape up against the Senegalese international.
The Hungarian had some difficult early days at Anfield but has since settled there and will prove a tough test for Ndiaye.
It is set to be a clash with a lot on the line for Everton and Liverpool, and if the Blues want the bragging rights of the city, Ndiaye is the man who can lead them there.
