This looks like one of the closest derby games to call in recent times.  There’s not much between the sides at the moment, in fact Everton are arguably in better form than we are right now.  It promises to be a really tight, tense affair, and the blues will be desperate to gain revenge for the 2-0 defeat they suffered at Goodison in November.

We were somewhat fortunate to win that game, as we didn’t play well on the day and were indebted to a brilliant double save by Pepe and an awful miss by that Russian winger.  There was nothing between the sides for most of the game (only a ridiculously deflected Mascherano goal) and it was only after the late introductions of Benayoun and Riera that we started to look even remotely like the side we should be.

We eventually grabbed a second goal late on to make the game safe, but it was a far from convincing win and Everton will certainly have felt they should have got something from the game.  Since then not much has changed for us.  We weren’t in good form back then, and we’re not now.  Our results have been decent enough in recent weeks (Reading apart), but performances haven’t been up to much.

Everton on the other hand have picked up their form considerably in recent weeks, and they are playing some good stuff.  They are more than capable of giving us a few problems, but hopefully we will be able to step up our game and see them off, as we desperately need the three points this weekend.

As ever, the question is what will Rafa do in terms of his team selection.  The continued absence of Torres gives us a big problem with out formation, as the preferred 4231 doesn’t function well without our talismanic number nine.  With the personnel available, 442 seems to be our best bet.

I’d like to see us go with two up front, and possibly Gerrard on the right.  I’d go with Aquilani in the centre too, but I doubt that’s what will happen.  I expect we’ll stick with Rafa’s favoured system, and Gerrard will be behind the lone striker, which will either be Kuyt or N’Gog.

If it’s Kuyt, then the question is who will play in the wide areas.  If it’s N’Gog, then the question is who fills the other wide berth as Kuyt will definitely be on the right.  My guess would be N’Gog starting, and Kuyt and Rodriguez on the flanks, with Lucas and Mascherano in the middle.

Carragher will presumably continue at right back, which concerns me a little as in last season’s Anfield derby Pienaar gave Carra a lot of trouble.  That, and the threat they pose from set-pieces represent the biggest danger to us today I feel.  Cahill is always a danger, and Screech’s sheer size means he will be a handful too.

There’s no doubt that Everton can hurt us, but we have been better at the back of late and if Krygiakos plays then we’ll be a lot better equipped to deal with the aerial stuff, as he’s helped us a lot in that area.  I can see Everton scoring though, so that means we’ll need to score two to win the game.

I don’t see much between the sides at all, and I can’t see anything other than a tight game.  The one thing that separates us from them is Steven Gerrard.  They simply don’t have anybody even close to his level, and if he plays to his best then he’ll probably be the difference between the sides.  He loves derby games, and he’s due a big one.

So with that in mind, I’m going for us to just edge this by the odd goal thanks to a barnstorming performance from the captain.

Line up prediction:  Reina; Carragher, Skrtel, Krygiakos, Insua; Lucas, Mascherano; Kuyt, Gerrard, Rodriguez; N’Gog

Score prediction:  2-1 (Rodriguez, Gerrard)