Three derbies and a clásico…

Three or four times a season you get a weekend when the schedules throw out a handful fixtures that have fans, partisan and neutral, salivating in anticipation. This is one of these weekends.

Everton vs. Liverpool

The latest edition of the Merseyside derby finds both clubs in difficult and trying circumstances. Liverpool will not be present when the draw for the knock out stages of the Champions League is made and with five losses in their opening thirteen league games a dogfight for a top four spot seems to be in prospect.

Perhaps Liverpool’s troubles that have sheltered Everton from a storm of criticism given they are also off to a less than stellar start.  Both clubs can point to extensive injury problems but the statistic that

<sup>The start of the new Premier League season is only days away and over the next five days I will preview all twenty clubs. It is an opportunity to stick your own neck out as well. Criticize my picks and the picks of others as much as you like – but be ready to back up your statements with your own predicted finishes. No trolling – instant red card.  You can also predict the first manager to leave their post as well as the three teams that will come up from the Championship.

Prediction contest rules are:
1. Five points for every exact finishing position predicted correctly.</sup>

^{2. Bonus points for correctly predicting the following:
           Champion 25 points
           Runner}