Merseyside Derby

The Merseyside Derby is the meeting of the two clubs that share the city of Liverpool. Everton and Liverpool grew up close together, often within the same families, which gives the fixture an unusually personal character and a long history that binds the two clubs tightly.

Liverpool are one of the most successful and widely followed clubs in England, with a particularly rich history in European competition. Their supporters are known across the world for their songs and their atmosphere, and the club carries the expectations that come with a long tradition of winning.

Everton are one of the founding institutions of English league football and one of its proudest old clubs. They have a deep local following and a strong sense of their own history, and even through leaner spells their supporters have stayed loyal. For Everton, the derby is one of the most important matches of every season.

The fixture was long known as the friendly derby, because supporters of both clubs so often live side by side and even share households. That description has worn thin over the years as the matches have grown more fractious, but the closeness remains, and the rivalry is still felt house by house across the city.

Whatever the league table says, the Merseyside Derby is a fixture neither side wants to lose. It is a contest for the bragging rights of a single proud city, played between two clubs whose histories are impossible to separate. The result echoes through workplaces and streets long after the final whistle.