The Merseyside derby isn’t the only meeting between local rivals this weekend, with some excellent Premier League games on offer over the next three days.
Liverpool and Everton lock horns for the 232nd time on Sunday afternoon, with the Reds hoping to maintain their strong league form.
The Blues will pose a threat, however, having impressed under Marco Silva, in what should be an entertaining encounter at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp‘s men should be hungry to respond after Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, which bodes well.
Liverpool vs. Everton is one of 10 top-flight games to look forward over the next three days, as a busy December gets underway.
Cardiff vs. Wolves – Friday, 8pm – Sky Sports Main Event
In a rare Friday night offering, Cardiff host Wolves looking to take advantage of their visitors’ poor recent form and, at least briefly, move out of the relegation zone.
Wolves have stuttered a little of late, with the performance in the 2-0 home defeat to Huddersfield woeful, and they may come unstuck again here.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are now five games without a win, and more dropped points could see their bright start to the campaign undermined.
Prediction: Cardiff 2-1 Wolves
Crystal Palace vs. Burnley – Saturday, 3pm
Two of the Premier League‘s strugglers do battle at Selhurst Park, with Burnley in a particularly bleak run of form.
The Clarets look a long way from the side that finished seventh last season and the defeat at home to Newcastle on Monday summed up their current plight.
Palace are a better team than the table suggests, and they are favourites to come out on top on Saturday after holding Man United to a 0-0 draw last time out.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-0 Burnley
Huddersfield vs. Brighton – Saturday, 3pm
Huddersfield were excellent in their win at Wolves, defying the odds and showing that they will not go down without a fight this season.
They host Brighton this weekend, with the Seagulls still looking too good for relegation and accumulating points in solid fashion.
David Wagner will believe his players can make it two victories on the spin, though; if that happens, safety will feel a more plausible target for the Terriers than it did a couple of weeks back.
The home side are just favourites to edge it over 90 minutes.
Prediction: Huddersfield 2-1 Brighton
Leicester vs. Watford – Saturday, 3pm
Leicester host Watford at the King Power Stadium in a meeting between two sides in the race to be the best of the non-big-six teams.
It has the potential to be an entertaining game with quality in abundance, as Watford showed against Liverpool at times last weekend.
The Hornets are one place and two points ahead of their opponents, so they will be more than happy with an away draw.
Home form is key for Leicester, but a share of the spoils is on the cards.
Prediction: Leicester 1-1 Watford
Man City vs. Bournemouth – Saturday, 3pm
Man City‘s form really is unstoppable, highlighting the importance of Liverpool winning every game of their own.
Unfortunately, it seems hard to see the champions failing to beat the vast majority of the teams in the Premier League, especially on home soil.
That will be the case against Bournemouth on Saturday, with Eddie Howe’s men likely to give it a go…but ultimately proving vastly inferior.
We say it every week—someone give the Reds a helping hand, please!
Prediction: Man City 3-0 Bournemouth
Newcastle vs. West Ham – Saturday, 3pm
Rafa Benitez is working his magic again at Newcastle, picking up 10 points from the Magpies’ last four matches.
They have gone from the bottom of the league to a much more respectable 13th and there is no reason why another win cannot be recorded this weekend.
West Ham come to town following a crushing 4-0 defeat at the hands of City and they have dropped below Newcastle on goal difference.
The Hammers are arguably the superior side, but Benitez’s men have home advantage. It will probably be a draw then!
Prediction: Newcastle 1-1 West Ham
Southampton vs. Man United – Saturday, 5:30pm – BT Sport 1
Man United continue to be the gift that keep on giving in the league, kicking on ‘magnificently’ from beating Juventus with a hefty defeat by City and a toothless draw at home to Palace.
Their fans even seemed frustrated by a late win over Young Boys in the Champions League in midweek.
On Saturday, Jose Mourinho and his side head to Southampton for a game you would normally expect them to win with relative ease.
It’s difficult to predict which United team will turn up, however, and with 18th-place Saints desperate for points, will they have that little bit more hunger on the day?
Prediction: Southampton 1-1 Man United
Chelsea vs. Fulham – Sunday, 12pm – Sky Sports Main Event
The first of three derbies on Sunday sees west London pair Chelsea and Fulham meet at Stamford Bridge.
Maurizio Sarri’s team were humbled at Tottenham last weekend, with the 3-1 defeat actually kind on them, so it will be interesting to see how they respond.
Fulham shouldn’t cause them too many issues, in truth, but their thrilling 3-2 victory over Saints will have given them a new lease of life.
This should be a home win, but Liverpool fans will be cheering on Claudio Ranieri and his players all the way.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Fulham
Arsenal vs. Tottenham – Sunday, 2:05pm – Sky Sports Main Event
A huge north London derby featuring Arsenal and Tottenham is next up—one of those win-win matches you can simply enjoy as a Liverpool fan, other than the fact that it is just before the Everton game!
The Gunners are now unbeaten in 18 matches, but this will be one of their sternest tests during that run.
Spurs have not won at the Emirates in their last eight attempts, but the resounding triumph over Chelsea shows what a top side they are on their day.
It will be a match which is decided by small margins; a draw could be the most likely outcome and is a result both Unai Emery and Mauricio Pochettino would be content with.
