Coach Carlo Ancelotti Photo: VCG

For the first time in many years, Everton go into their Merseyside derby meeting with Liverpool above their city rivals in the English Premier League table.

Everton are top of the table with a 100 percent record this season, buoyed by Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Both sides have their injury concerns ahead of the game, though Ancelotti had good news for the Toffees faithful ahead of the match.

"Andre Gomes is available for Saturday, no problem," he said midweek.

"Allan started to train with the team this week. If nothing happens in the next few days he will be available to play against Liverpool.

"I think Seamus [Coleman] is going to be good, too, because he started to train with us on Monday."

Not everyone would be back for the game, though, he warned.

"Holgate and Branthwaite are working individually. Branthwaite is closer [to returning].

"They have no problems [in their recovery programs] but we have to wait a little bit.

"Gbamin is working individually, he is not here [at USM Finch Farm] yet.

"I think he is going to be here in 15 days and start to work apart from the team in the beginning, and then with the team.

"At the end of the November, I think he can be fit to play."

New face 



Everton might have a new face in the lineup on Saturday, new signing Ben Godfrey.

"Godfrey is a really talented player," Ancelotti said.

"He is really fast, very quick. He has different characteristics from the center backs we have in this moment.

"He is a complete defender, fast, good with his head and good with the ball. He has all the quality to be a really good center back.

"He has experience in the Premier League. He was really happy to come here.

"I think he will be a good signing, not only for the present because I think he is ready to play in the Premier League, but also for the future of the club.

"If he is fit, he is going to be in competition with the others [for the game against Liverpool]."

Those who are fit have heaped praise on life under Ancelotti at Everton, including Brazil forward Richarlison.

"I try to gather as much information as I can from Ancelotti, someone who has won it all" Richarlison said on Brazil duty.

His Brazil teammate Roberto Firmino was more concerned of an injury to another fellow Brazilian, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

"For me he's the No.1," Firmino said of Liverpool's missing goalkeeper Alisson. 

"I'm not just saying that because he's my teammate. The things he does on the pitch are incredible.

"He's already done a great job for the Selecao. And off the pitch he's a sensational guy. He's a great person, a great friend, someone I get on with really well."

Shock defeat

Alisson was missed in Liverpool's last game before the international break, a shock 7-2 loss for the champions against Aston Villa.

"It was unexpected but it happened tonight," Klopp said after the shock result. 

"We put all our rubbish things and mistakes in one game and hopefully we can start again."

"It looked like we lost the plot after it went to 1-0," Klopp told BBC Sport after the defeat.

"Who wants to lose 7-2?" Klopp continued. "Years ago we told ourselves we wanted to create history. That was history but obviously the wrong type.

"We had big chances which we did not use, but when you concede seven I'm not sure you can say it would have been 7-7.

"We made too many mistakes and massive ones ­obviously. It started with the first goal and around the goals we made massive mistakes.

"We lost balls in the wrong area and did not protect properly. It looked like we lost the plot after it went to 1-0. It is not an excuse.

"Normally you can be 1-0 down and do the stuff you want to do. We created but did not protect ourselves properly so each ball we lost was a massive counter attack.

"That is why we conceded and three goals were deflected. It's unlucky but it is not a coincidence because it means it was not a proper block. There is nobody to blame apart from me and us."

Alisson will not be back for the derby, Klopp confirmed after the Villa defeat.

"No chance to play against Everton. We don't know exactly. It could have been worse with that injury, that's for sure. We were slightly lucky but it's not that he can play against Everton.

"I don't want to put a timeframe on it but four weeks could be possible, six weeks is maybe more likely, but I don't know. We have to assess this thing, that's how it is."

Brazil won 4-2 midweek, with Richarlison scoring, but the love of country for those on the pitch and off it will be put aside at Goodison Park in Saturday's early kickoff.

Deciding factor 

However, the deciding factor might be a different South American entirely, Everton's recent addition James Rodriguez. The Colombian, who worked under Ancelotti at ­Bayern Munich, has been an ­inspired singing according to BT Sport pundit Joe Cole.

"Ancelotti has had time to implement his style on the squad. You've got James Rodriguez, recognized in the past as one of the top players in the world. I don't think this is a false dawn for Everton, they'll be threatening the league [title] but they'll be up there," Cole told the broadcaster.

"You know with Farhad Moshiri [Everton's majority stakeholder], he'll go again in January. It's exciting times to be an Everton fan."

Hopes of a first title since the mid-1980s - and coming a year after Liverpool ended their own 30-year wait to become Champions of England - will certainly be driven on with a win for the Blues on Saturday.

Whatver the result, the balance of power has begun to shift in what was long English football's fiercest rivalry.
Newspaper headline: Out of the Blue