⚽ EFL Cup · Round 2
Everton host Liverpool at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in EFL Cup Round 2, the biggest atmosphere of this round’s entire draw and a genuine Merseyside derby with a straight knockout twist — no replay, no second leg, just one night to settle it. David Moyes and Andoni Iraola both know what a derby defeat means to their supporters, cup competition or not, and there’s a pedigree wrinkle specific to this exact trophy that makes the stakes even sharper. This preview is part of our full EFL Cup Round 2 coverage.
Team Analysis
Everton
Moyes called this his busiest transfer window as a manager, and marquee loan arrival Jack Grealish gives Everton a genuine game-changer to throw at their fiercest rivals. Everton are still missing both first-choice centre-backs, James Tarkowski and Jarrod Branthwaite, which is a major concern in a derby that rarely lacks intensity, even with Thierno Barry and Carlos Alcaraz’s permanent move adding to the attacking options.
Liverpool
Iraola, still early in his tenure after taking over on Merseyside, sends Alexander Isak into the derby spotlight for a home fixture that means as much to Liverpool’s fans as any league game. Liverpool’s attacking depth, with Isak spearheading the line, gives them the individual quality to control a fixture that has swung on moments of brilliance as often as tactical plans.
Cup Pedigree Watch
- Liverpool are the most successful club in this competition’s history. Ten League Cup titles, more than any other English club, make Liverpool the benchmark for what winning this exact trophy looks like — this is quite literally their specialist competition.
- Everton, remarkably, have never won it at all. Despite five FA Cups and a genuinely rich domestic cup history elsewhere, Everton remain without a League Cup title, having lost in the final on more than one occasion. It’s the one significant trophy that has eluded this club, and no fixture would mean more to finally end that wait than a home derby against Liverpool.
- The gap in pedigree in this specific competition is stark, and personal. Beating the record-holders in the one cup Everton have never lifted would be a statement result regardless of the round.
Our Prediction
Everton’s centre-back absences are too significant to ignore against a Liverpool attack led by Isak, even accounting for Grealish’s ability to create moments and the unpredictable nature of derby football. Expect goals at both ends in a game that lives up to the occasion, with Liverpool’s superior individual quality proving decisive late on.
Connor’s Pick: Liverpool to win
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