Everton, Liverpool renew Merseyside Derby with EPL standing on line
A long-running neighborhood feud between two of England’s most iconic clubs and a battle for supremacy in France’s Ligue 1 highlight the televised soccer action from Europe this weekend.
EPL: The Merseyside Derby between Everton and Liverpool, separated by the width of Stanley Park, is the longest-running top-flight derby in England, dating to 1894. Everton won that first meeting 3-0 but the last two renewals of the rivalry have ended in draws. There’s more than bragging rights on the line this weekend since defending league champion Liverpool (11-6-7) and Everton (11-8-4) enter Saturday’s game (Ch. 4, Universo, 9:30 p.m. PT) separated by just three points in the table, with neither in position to grab a European tournament spot next season. The game will feel different in an empty Goodison Park, plus neither side has won a league game in Liverpool since December, a streak of 10 matches combined. The game will feature two of the EPL’s top scorers in Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (17 goals) and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin (13).
Ligue 1: Lille (16-2-7) has spent just two weeks outside the top two spots in the French table since September. But its lead was down to a point over defending champion Paris Saint-Germain (17-5-3) entering the weekend. Anything short of a win at relegation-endangered Lorient (6-13-5) on Sunday (BeIN Sports, 8 a.m. PT) leaves Lille’s lead in danger when PSG plays host to fourth-place Monaco (15-6-4) at Parc des Princes in Ligue 1’s final game of the weekend later Sunday (BeIN Sports, noon PT). PSG’s Kylian Mbappe, who had a hat trick in his team’s Champions League win over Barcelona on Tuesday, leads Ligue 1 with 16 goals. Teammate Angel Di Maria is tied for the lead in assists with eight. However, PSG will be without Neymar, who remains sidelined with an adductor injury.
Nothing went right for Galaxy striker Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández in 2020, so he’s taking responsibility to make this season better.
