Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas is worried about Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian heading into Wednesday night’s Merseyside derby with Everton.
The two teams go head-to-head at Anfield, but the Reds will do so without their first choice ‘keeper after Alisson was sent off against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. Despite that, Nicholas expects a 2-0 home win.
“Alisson will miss the derby match and his replacement Adrian was a bag of nerves when he came on,” he wrote on the Sky Sports website. “Liverpool do not have the same rhythm of last season but they do know how to get results, and got there in the end on Saturday.
“This game is a different scenario though – it’s the derby. The two sides will not be thinking about anything that’s to come around the corner. Liverpool will want to rub Everton’s noses in it. Everton will park the bus, but Liverpool will be comfortable.”
OPINION
It’s really difficult to see Everton getting anything from this game, isn’t it? The Toffees are in woeful form and serious questions are being asked of manager Marco Silva. He needs to come into this contest and get a result, so you wonder whether they will actually park the bus, as Nicholas says. The Sky Sports man is right that Liverpool aren’t playing in the same explosive manner as last season yet, but they do have the look of champions. It’s hard to keep count of the number of times the Reds haven’t played at their best but have won this season. So you have to favour Jurgen Klopp’ team on Wednesday, that’s for sure. As for Adrian being a ‘bag of nerves’ after he came on against Brighton on Saturday, that’s probably a little harsh. He’s still a good ‘keeper, though, and he should be fine to fill in on Wednesday.
