- Historic Merseyside derby awaits at the Hill Dickinson when Toffees host the Reds.
- Evertonians plan a fierce atmosphere following the Reds’ Champions League exit.
- Virgil van Dijk expects a massive challenge against a motivated, firing Toffees side.
There’s no downplaying what awaits at the Hill Dickinson at 2pm on Sunday. It will, almost regardless of outcome, be a special day for Everton FC, although it goes without saying that a win would make it doubly special.
Many thought the atmosphere at the Chelsea game, when the Toffees won 3-0, was the best so far at the new stadium, but Sunday seems almost certain to usurp that. Especially so if the boys in blue can deliver a performance worthy of the occasion.
Storm across the Mersey
And make no mistake, Liverpool know what’s coming, and that there’s a storm brewing on the banks of the Mersey at Bramley Dock. They also know they can’t afford to still be suffering from the post-PSG hangover when Chris Kavanagh’s first whistle blows.
It was to a downbeat Virgil van Dijk that ReadLiverpoolFC’s correspondent spoke following the Reds’ UEFA Champions League exit:
Gave it a good go?
That’s the bare minimum, isn’t it? It’s disappointing to be knocked out, but PSG deserved to go through.
Knocking on the door for most of the game?
Knocking on the door is not enough. I’m disappointed that we were knocked out, but that is the reality.
Motivation for Everton?
We should be very disappointed at this stage and at this point this evening. But a massive game awaits for us. We all know how big it is. It will obviously be a tough one but it is something to look forward to. But at this stage, I’m just not in a good place because we got knocked out of the Champions League.
Second half looked good?
I think PSG deserved to go through based on the two games.
But with four full recovery/training days between the PSG game and the short trip to the Hill Dickinson, Evertonians know only too well that said hangover is very unlikely to still be a thing. And for Arne Slott’s men, for their sake, it had better not be.
The Hill Dickinson and Evertonians are still sussing one another out, but the game against Chelsea showed that the new place has the potential to be just as fierce and fiery as Goodison, albeit in a more shiny and aesthetically pleasing way.
Everton fans may not now be ‘on top’ of opponents in quite the same way, but those on the steep banks of the South Stand are quickly finding their feet and are starting to intimidate opponents in a different but familiar way (if that makes sense).
With so much at stake in addition to local pride, words alone are insufficient to capture what awaits the travelling Reds on Sunday afternoon.
But van Dijk already knows. And he knows it will be no place for the faint-hearted.
Up the Toffees!
