Liverpool have a slight edge over Everton in today's Merseyside Derby

The last Derby played on 5th May ended in a draw

Liverpool and Everton are not the same teams they were last year. Liverpool have gone back to their winning ways and are currently 2nd in the league while Everton have had a change in management since David Moyes left for Manchester United and now have Roberto Martinez at the helm. Today they will play, without a doubt, the most highly charged derby in the history of football.

Even though Everton and Liverpool supporters share an excellent rapport and are almost like one big family in the stadium, the players are totally different and over the years this Derby holds the record for the most red cards than any other match. Both Brendan Rodgers and Roberto Martinez are immensely talented managers and today’s game will be a treat to watch.

Everton have adopted a Spanish style of play under Martinez, to great success, and have won or drawn all but one of their fixtures so far this season. Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku has been a huge hit with the Toffees and will surely torment the Liverpool defenses today, having already scored a goal past them during his time at West Brom last season. The Belgian sensation has scored 5 goals in as many games and his intense physique will be a headache to the Liverpool center backs.

Gerard Deulofeu has also hit the ground running at Everton, since his loan move away from Barcelona this season, and is likely to feature for his temporary team at Goodison Park today. The ever present Leighton Baines will also be an important attacking asset on the field today and will surely give the Reds a hard time if ever they give a free-kick away today. Ross Barkley has also been a revelation for Everton but has yet to be tested in the big games and will do his best to show just why he was compared to former Everton player Wayne Rooney.

Tim Howard has also been excellent for Everton as always, and the bearded shot stopper will be no pushover in today’s clash.

Liverpool head into the clash today with a few injuries but are sure to give their tormentors a hard time today. The lethal partnership of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge are poised to tear their blue opponents apart and one of the two or maybe both will hopefully be on the scoreline today.

Liverpool hold a slight advantage due to the respect the players have for their skipper Steven Gerrard. The 33-year-old, who has scored 8 goals past Everton so far, is an inspiration to the team and under his leadership the Reds are sure to go into the derby with nothing but a win on their mind. Gerrard still has the ability to influence games and will not disappoint the Liverpool faithful today.

Simon Mignolet has been stellar for Liverpool since he was signed from Sunderland this season and knows a trick or two about how to keep his country man Lukaku at bay. The 25-year-old has kept clean sheets against Manchester United and Aston Villa and is a player the Reds can rely upon in times of need.

Everton are an extremely difficult team to beat at home and will fight back with all they got if Liverpool manage to find the back of the net. A win against Everton will be a huge confidence booster for Rodger’s and his Reds and may even tip the title race their way.

If Martinez manages to best his counterpart then Everton will have fully established themselves as a force to reckon with this season. Anything can happen in the match today but Liverpool are heading into the match with something of an upper hand.