The rivalry between Liverpool FC and Everton is one of the longest-running in the English Premier League. Some rivalries are more closely contested and others that are even fiercer. Yet when Liverpool and Everton meet, the build-up lasts for weeks as it involves thousands of the city’s inhabitants. For betting on football, few English matches are as exciting as the Merseyside Derby.
Proximity
Only Stanley Park separates the home ground of Liverpool FC from Everton. That means that both football grounds are under a mile away from each other. Few football clubs are that close and the proximity should be an issue but it is not. Even though the clubs are separated by a park, the Merseyside rivalry is known as the ‘Friendly Derby’.
Anything can happen in a local derby so they can be tough to predict. For the latest sports odds, check out Fanduel, especially when the next Merseyside derby comes around.
Family Affair
Football can be a true obsession in most English cities and that is certainly the case in Liverpool. Most cities will have households that support a single team with allegiances that are passed down from generation to generation. That is not the case in the city of Liverpool
and it seems to be a family affair.
Many families in Liverpool can be split based on which football team they support. You can have Liverpool supporting families, Everton supporting families, and a mixture. Brothers can
have mixed allegiances too with one supporting the reds and the other supporting the blues. Even husbands and wives can support either team and head to the match together.
Few rivalries can be considered a family affair. You would rarely see it in Manchester where
the football rivalry is also split between reds and blues. However, in Liverpool families can sit
together in the stadium, enjoy the game, and not suffer any tangible animosity.
Dominant Eras
What also fuels the rivalry is that both sides have dominated English football for a certain period of time. During the Eighties, football provided an escape for both sets of supporters. The city of Liverpool was suffering due to the Thatcherite Conservative government at the time. Policies introduced by that specific government looked to cripple Northern cities like Liverpool with many left unemployed.
Thankfully, both Liverpool FC and Everton were doing well on the pitch so many could forget about their own lives. Between 1980 and 1989, Liverpool FC won two European Cups, four
League Cups, two FA Cups, and five league titles. During that same time, Everton won two league titles, the European Cup Winners Cup, and an FA Cup.
Then there was the ban on English clubs competing in European football following the Heysel Stadium Disaster. Without it, Everton would have been strong favorites for the 1988
European Cup.
If there is one bone of contention from Everton fans towards their city rivals, it can be focused on the Heysel Stadium Disaster. Liverpool fans were involved in that 1984 European Cup Final against Juventus. A total of 39 people died, mainly Juventus fans, and 600 people were injured. It seemed that Liverpool fans led the charge that contributed to the disaster and an indefinite ban was placed by UEFA on English clubs competing in Europe.
Despite the tragedy costing Everton the chance to compete on a bigger stage, both sets of fans remained friendly toward each other. In 1984, Liverpool FC faced Everton in the League Cup final at Wembley and both sets of fans chanted ‘Merseyside’. The match ended 0-0 with
the replay being won by Liverpool FC three days later. Little had changed after Heysel as there were similar scenes of solidarity between fans at Wembley during the 1986 FA Cup Final with Liverpool winning 3-1.
The Not-So-Friendly Derby On The Pitch In The English Premier League
Everton avoided relegation on the final matchday of the English Premier League season. That means that there is another set of Merseyside derbies to come next season.
Despite the solidary and friendliness being on show between both sets of fans, the rivalry is an intense one on the pitch. Liverpool have looked to dominate the derby with Everton producing few positive results.
During the 2007/2008 season, Everton ended the derby at Goodison Park with only nine players. Red cards were shown to Tony Hibbert (after referee Mark Clattenburg looked to only have given him a yellow card) and Phil Neville. Both dismissals were controversial as Neville was sent off when he handled a goal-bound shot which gave Liverpool a second penalty in the game. Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt scored both goals from the penalty spot to give Liverpool a 2-1 victory but should have been sent off earlier for a two-footed lunge on
Neville.
Summary
The rivalry between Liverpool FC and Everton is known as the Friendly Derby with good reason. While the match may be full-throttle and passionately fought on the pitch, off the pitch it can be quite jovial. Families from the same household can support either team and sit next to each other in the stadium. The Merseyside Derby still requires a police presence but comes without a religious or fervent rivalry between the two sets of fans.
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