Merseyside Derby: Premier League makes official decision ahead of Everton vs Liverpool

After originally being postponed earlier this season, the Merseyside Derby is almost upon us. Everton will host rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park for the final time before they move to their new home on Bramley-Moore Dock for the new season.

The derby clash had initially been scheduled for December but due to the impact of Storm Darragh, the decision was made to postpone the highly anticipated fixture.

The Merseyside rivals are the only clubs in the Premier League with a game in-hand, which could prove crucial in both clubs’ respective missions this season. Liverpool have a huge opportunity to go nine points clear at the top of the table in the title race, while Everton could move into 13th with a win.

With a lot riding on this era-ending match, let’s take a look at who will be overseeing the action at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

Who is the referee for Everton vs Liverpool?

Michael Oliver has been named as the man to take charge of Wednesday’s Merseyside Derby. He will be assisted by Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring, alongside fourth official Tony Harrington. Chris Kavanagh and Eddie Smart will be the VAR and assistant VAR for the occasion.

During his last five games in charge, Oliver has dished out 19 cards, including two reds. The double sending off came during Wolves’ clash with Arsenal last month.

Prior to the match at Molineux, Oliver took charge of Liverpool’s meeting with Manchester United, which ended in a 2-2 draw after a penalty for the Red Devils and six yellows cards throughout the match. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Darwin Nunez were booked for the Reds.

The last time Oliver refereed an Everton match was back in October, when the Toffees beat Ipswich Town 2-0 away from home. Just two cards were shown that game, with Michael Keane the only man in the book for Everton.

Everton and Liverpool latest form and injuries

Liverpool were handed a shock defeat over the weekend when they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship relegation candidates Plymouth Argyle. A lone penalty for the side formerly managed by Wayne Rooney was enough to see them into the fifth round, ending talks of a magical potential quadruple for Liverpool.

However, the Reds are still going strong in the league and have put a six-point cushion between them and Arsenal. With just one defeat on the board so far this season, Arne Slot’s side are the team to beat for this season’s trophy.

Everton are also out of the FA Cup following their defeat to Bournemouth but they are on an impressive run in the Premier League. After a narrow 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa, the Blues are on a three-game win streak, having beaten Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Leicester City. David Moyes’ side have scored eight goals in their last three outings and have put some significant daylight between them and the bottom three.

The Toffees have a lengthy injury list, with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Seamus Coleman out of action. The bulk of Moyes’ injured players are set to miss the derby but Vitalii Mykolenko could potentially be available after a surprise absence against Bournemouth. Here’s a full list of Everton’s injury problems.

As for Liverpool, they were dealt a new blow as the returning Joe Gomez suffered a fresh injury setback against Plymouth. The defender was forced off the pitch early on in the match, with little update provided on the severity of the issue. Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to race to be fit, while Curtis Jones was left on the bench for the FA Cup clash at the last moment. Find out more on Liverpool’s injury information here.