Liverpool warned of worst-case Everton scenario with Merseyside derby looming

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Liverpool is currently three points ahead of Everton in the Premier League standings, but the Toffees closed the gap to just three points by beating Chelsea on Saturday

Everton is not far behind Liverpool in the Premier League standings(Image: AFP or licensors)

Former Premier League striker Tony Cascarino said that he would not be surprised to see Liverpool finish below Everton in the Premier League this season.

The Toffees closed the gap to their Merseyside rivals to just three points over the weekend, as they beat Chelsea 3-0 on the same day that Liverpool lost 2-1 to Brighton.

Liverpool currently occupies fifth place on 49 points, while Everton is in eighth on 46 points – and now harboring very real ambitions of a top-five finish that would see David Moyes's men qualify for next season's Champions League.

The city's two teams will meet at Everton's new stadium next month, and Cascarino is not discounting Moyes and Co from continuing their good form between now and the end of the season to qualify for Europe.

“Do you know what? I wouldn’t be surprised if Everton finish higher than Liverpool," Cascarino said on talkSPORT.

"I’m not being disrespectful to Everton, they have got more points in the Premier League in 2026 than Liverpool. There’s only a one point difference but Everton have 18 and Liverpool have 17.

“Everton didn’t have a squad even close to Liverpool at the start of the season!

"We’d have sat here and gone, ‘Do you know what Everton might topple Liverpool’ and Liverpool are in front at the moment and might well end up (finishing higher).

“But even to consider a race between the two of them… Everton have done brilliant! And David Moyes has done an incredible job at dragging his team, going into, by the way, a new stadium.

“Yes, they’ve not had European football, but I’m looking at Everton and thinking, they could finish in front of Liverpool.”

Tony Cascarino thinks that Liverpool could finish behind Everton(Image: 2024 Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Everton boss Moyes addressed his team's European ambitions in the wake of its stirring win over Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

"I'd love to say it was [a possibility to qualify for the Champions League] as I'm trying to be more positive than I would normally be, but for Everton to even be in the mix for Europe is unbelievable, whether it is Conference League or Champions League," he said.

"We were sitting here last year just beginning to edge ourselves away from relegation and still had lots of money to pay off, new ownership and 10 or 12 players out of contract — so for us to be in the position we are now is just great.

"I can imagine, if we could possibly do it, what it would do for the crowds here as Evertonians are desperate to get back amongst it."