Why Everton derby belief is back despite Anfield nightmares

Anfield. For Everton, a ground where hopes of success are routinely quashed. And it's the same for their manager David Moyes.

Everton have yet to win at Liverpool's home ground in front of a crowd in the 21st Century. Their only triumph there in the past 25 years came during the Covid pandemic in 2021 under the stewardship of Carlo Ancelotti.

Moyes has failed in all of his 22 attempts, with a number of clubs, to win a game at Anfield.

On Saturday, Everton visit a Liverpool side who are Premier League champions, are enjoying a perfect start to their season, and have British record signing Alexander Isak set to make his top-flight debut for them.

But are the Reds more vulnerable than their form suggests? Arne Slot's side have let a two-goal lead slip on three occasions this season, albeit recovering to win each time, while Everton have enjoyed a strong start of their own following a summer of unprecedented recruitment.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Saturday's meeting.

Moyes has overseen 22 matches at Anfield over his career, drawing seven and losing 15. He has travelled with Everton 13 times, losing on six occasions.

It is a record reflective of Moyes' managerial struggles away to the biggest sides. He has endured the four longest runs of a manager of one club visiting the same side without ever winning in the Premier League – with similarly awful records away to Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.

So why could that record change at the home of the reigning champions on Saturday?

Moyes' most commonly used formation at Anfield has been 4-2-3-1 - which is the same tactical set-up which has been used so effectively this season.

The biggest difference has been Everton's summer of big signings - nine players have been brought in at a record net spend of £97m.

The Toffees now have the requisite weapons with which to hurt their city rivals – particularly in the guise of new arrivals Jack Grealish, who leads the Premier League assists chart with four, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who is already averaging more chances per game than any Everton player since the start of last season.

"So often we take the still relatively short trip, in hope rather than expectation, with the apparent curse that encases our one-time home still very much alive," said Mike Richards, from The Unholy Trinity Everton podcast, referring to the fact that Anfield was the club's home from 1884 to 1892.

"However, this Everton feels far removed from many of those sides that have gone before them.

"There's a belief this Everton attack can ask questions of most, if not all sides in the league."

Everton have played on the front foot in wins against Brighton and Wolves this season, while they were unfortunate to draw with Aston Villa last weekend after wasting a host of golden chances.

Having ranked 18th for goals from open play in the Premier League in 2024-25, scoring just 25, the Toffees have attacked with aplomb this season, with Iliman Ndiaye also starring in a new right-sided role.

Tyler Dibling, Everton's biggest signing of the summer at an initial £40m, could also feature.

But will the shackles truly come off away to a side who have scored 14 goals in six games in all competitions and can call on the services of nearly £300m worth of attacking talent signed this summer?

Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike are all in contention to start this weekend.

History suggests that Moyes tends to be more pragmatic away to the biggest sides. In Everton's most recent 10 visits to Anfield under the Scotsman, spread over the past 20 years, they have scored a total of just five goals, converting only 6.7% of their chances.

However Moyes chooses to set up his side come Saturday, these are statistics that must improve if Everton are to secure an elusive derby win.

"We've looked for a moment of magic or piece of individual brilliance at Anfield on so many occasions, and on so many occasions we simply fell short in that department," Richards said.

"Defeat has so often felt inevitable after falling behind, but now that's not the case."

For all of Liverpool's domination of this fixture on home soil, derbies on Merseyside tend to be tight, wherever they're played.

On the past eight occasions that Everton and Moyes have visited their neighbours, there have been four draws, and three games settled by a single goal.

There is also a sense that despite Liverpool's formidable firepower, they are more vulnerable than in recent seasons.

The Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday was the third time this season the Reds have let a two-goal lead slip. Again they found a winner, but the defensive fragility will give encouragement to opponents.

While Slot's men sit top of the Premier League table, they have been reliant on late strikes, with their past five games in all competitions won by goals coming after the 82nd minute.

Everton have actually led for 26 minutes more than Liverpool in the Premier League this season - and an early goal could be crucial at Anfield.

All five of Everton's league goals have come in the first 55 minutes of games, including three in the opening half hour, while Liverpool have yet to go behind.

If Moyes' men can take, and maintain, an early lead, they must also withstand the inevitable barrage late on at Anfield - Liverpool have scored 47 winners after the 90th minute in the Premier League era, at least 13 more than any other team.

"There's a restored belief among fans that we are a club moving in the right direction," added Richards. "Whether it will be enough on Saturday remains to be seen, but when fans and players are aligned, magical things can happen."