Everton v Liverpool: Blues lay rare claim to Merseyside bragging rights

Leon Osman delights Goodison - can Everton score a rare win over Liverpool on Sunday?

With David Moyes leading Everton through a strong early season run and Liverpool only just beginning to sort themselves out, Toffees fans are approaching Sunday's Merseyside derby in a rare optimistic mood, says Hannah Duncan

After last weekend's Tyne-Wear derby, another pair of fierce rivals will meet on Sunday as Liverpool make the short trip across Stanley Park to Everton.

But a match which Liverpool fans once entered with unerring confidence is suddenly looking more like Everton's to lose, begging the question of which club really is currently the 'biggest' on Merseyside?

The two sides have had vastly contrasting starts to the season, with the Toffees enjoying an uncharacteristically positive opening, while Liverpool languish in the lower half of the Premier League.

The well-documented summer transfer fiasco at Anfield hasn't helped Brendan Rodgers in his start to life in the Liverpool hot-seat and he now finds himself having to survive until at least the turn of the year with Luis Suarez his only forward option.

The Reds were snubbed by several players during the close-season, from Clint Dempsey to Gylfi Sigurdsson and their lack of activity in the transfer market now looks as though it could prove costly.

Meanwhile, David Moyes once again has appeared to work wonders on a shoestring budget, bringing back Goodison favourite Steven Pienaar from Tottenham and signing Belgian international Kevin Mirallas, in what already looks to be a very shrewd move by the Scotsman.

The Merseyside clubs' respective form and transfer dealings must have an impact on the fans' expectations for the campaign ahead, with the Goodison Park faithful looking towards a challenge for the Champions League places, while their red counterparts will be hoping for an improvement on last season's eighth-place finish.

Everton are 1.814/5 favourites in the season match bet to finish above their Merseyside rivals for the second successive season, having ended 2011/12 four points clear of Liverpool.

The Toffees are also at 7.26/1 on Betfair to finish in the top four this term, while Liverpool are outsiders at 8.415/2, in what already looks likely to be a fight which will do right down to the wire for Champions League qualification, with Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham all vying for spaces.

But as is often the case with fierce local rivalries, the result on Sunday may not be as straightforward as the league table suggests.

Brendan Rodgers' side are currently favourites at 2.767/4 to claim victory at Goodison Park, with the draw the outside bet at 3.3512/5 and it's not without reason.

Everton will be without midfielder Pienaar after the South African was sent off in Sunday's 1-1 draw at QPR, while key man Marouanne Fellaini is likely to be absent through an injury he sustained in the 2-2 stalemate with Wigan before the international break.

Liverpool meanwhile have won two of their last three league outings, including a 5-2 thumping of Norwich, but know that a win on Sunday is essential if they want to keep pace with the other mid-table sides and, more importantly, not let their neighbours get too far ahead of them.

Whatever the result though, it is likely to have little bearing on which of the two clubs will be crowned kings of Merseyside come the end of the season.

Recommended Bet
Back Everton for a top four finish at 7.26/1