David Moyes offered support for Liverpool manager Arne Slot, calling him a 'really good coach' from a neutral perspective. However, Moyes dismissed Slot's suggestion that Liverpool are receiving unfavorable decisions at Anfield, stating that historically, Liverpool Football Club gets most decisions in their favor there. Everton head into the derby with momentum after a 2-0 home win over Burnley in the Premier League on Tuesday night, fueled by their current form and Liverpool's inconsistent campaign.
The team is within one point of seventh-placed Brentford, two points of sixth-placed Chelsea, and five points of fifth-placed Liverpool, heightening expectations for the clash. Despite this position, Moyes cautioned that Everton could finish as low as 14th in the Premier League this season, given a tricky run-in that includes home games against Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City, plus an away game at Arsenal. Former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard praised Moyes and Everton, predicting they will sneak into European places.
Absolutely. Arne Slot has done a brilliant job and, I have got to say, he is really good coach. That is from a neutral point of view.
Off the pitch, Everton supporters group the 1878s prepared a tifo titled 'The Originals' for the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The club is exploring opportunities for a warm weather training camp abroad but will avoid the Middle East due to the outbreak of war there, following recent air strikes by the USA and Israel on Iran that led to retaliatory action. At the end of last season, there were 11 teams and 36 points separating Liverpool and Everton, underscoring the gap Everton aim to close.
Specific bad decisions at Anfield referred to by Slot remain unclear, and it is unknown whether Everton will qualify for European football or where their training camp will be held if not the Middle East.
But I'm not having him saying they are getting bad decisions at Anfield because if you ask any Premier League manager over football history, they will tell you that if there is one club that gets all the decisions it is Liverpool Football Club. If they are getting a few bad ones at the moment, well, we have had to put up with them for years. There are very few decisions that go against Liverpool at Anfield. Very few. I actually think Liverpool supporters would agree with that if they were being honest as well. But as a coach, I think he's a top coach.
We could still finish 14th.