A dramatic Merseyside derby on Wednesday night meant Double Gameweek 24 has now finally drawn to a close.
Everton impressed in a fiery 2-2 draw that served as a fitting end to Goodison Park’s days hosting England’s longest-running top-flight derby. Liverpool, however, missed the chance to go nine points clear in the Premier League title race.
In this latest Scout Notes instalment, we’ll pick out the key lessons for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers on the eve of Double Gameweek 25.
TRENT CAMEO
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.4m) being named on the bench was the major news to emerge from Goodison Park before kick-off. The Liverpool right-back was back involved having picked up an injury in the first match of Double Gameweek 24.
He entered the fray just after the hour mark as Conor Bradley (£4.7m) made way. Despite seeing some of the ball in the final third, he could not make a significant impact on the game, coming away with just a point to show from his cameo.
Still, he at least appeared to have shaken off his aforementioned thigh issue. That will encourage owners ahead of this second successive Double Gameweek, which starts on Sunday.
Arne Slot didn’t do any post-match media duties after his sending off but did offer an update ahead of kick-off.
Arne Slot on Trent Alexander-Arnold possibly starting:
“Not even close at all. He can come in for a few minutes. It’s nice to have him.” (TNT)
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) February 12, 2025
The rest of Liverpool’s backline also blanked on Wednesday, as Everton deservedly put two goals past them – one of which was James Tarkowski’s (£4.8m) cracking last-minute equaliser.
SALAH DELIVERS AGAIN + GAKPO KNOCK?
Cody Gakpo (£7.6m) also failed to add to his collection of attacking returns. In the end, he tallied just a single assist in Double Gameweek 24 and was hooked before the 70th minute again at Goodison without having registered a shot. There are some suggestions he picked up a knock but the lack of post-match media duties from Arne Slot means that we didn’t get an update on his condition.
Judge for yourself whether you think this is a limp…
Still, Gakpo’s solitary return was better than what Luis Díaz (£7.5m) mustered. He has now blanked in six straight matches. The Colombian lasted 87 minutes on Wednesday, having one attempt in the box, after a 90-minute outing against Plymouth last weekend. FPL managers may – given his form and heavy fixture load – be wary of another imminent rest in one of Liverpool’s two matches this Gameweek, with both Diogo Jota (£7.2m) and Darwin Núñez (£7.0m) waiting in the wings.
One man who did of course deliver, again, was Mohamed Salah (£13.7m). The Egyptian king assisted Alexis Mac Allister’s (£6.2m) early equaliser before being in the right place to slot home what nearly turned out to be Liverpool’s match-winning second and ensure his Triple Captain backers were handsomely rewarded.
Not that they’ll care much, but it was a relatively quiet game for both him and his teammates. Salah registered just two shots (both of them on target, including his big chance and goal) against the Toffees, which was a third of Liverpool’s six total attempts, four of which were on target.
Salah also had only one touch in the penalty box, but made the most of it – unlike Díaz, whose eight touches in the area were to no avail.
EVERTON FRUSTRATE REDS
The Reds did dominate possession, but as well as being unusually frustrated by their hosts at one end of the pitch they were made uncomfortable at the other.
Wednesday marked just the second time Liverpool have conceded more than once in a match since Gameweek 17. The Reds were also outshot by the Toffees, who had 10 total attempts in this one as well as one Jarrad Branthwaite (£4.8m) goal which was (rightfully) ruled offside.
The young centre-back registered an assist for Everton’s opener with a clever through ball from his free-kick, while Tarkowski was the man of the moment with his stoppage time leveller after having already grabbed an assist of his own in Double Gameweek 24, against Leicester.
BETO SCORES AGAIN
Another star performer from that win over the Foxes was back on the scoresheet again at Goodison Park during the week.
Beto (£4.9m), making just his third league start of the campaign in Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s (£5.4m) injury-enforced absence, followed his brace against Leicester with a goal that broke the deadlock on Wednesday. The striker calmly knocked Branthwaite’s through ball past the on-rushing Alisson (£5.5m) after darting behind the rest of Liverpool’s backline.
That earned him 21 points – an impressive showing for the 0.8%-owned budget forward. With the transfer window shut, we’d expect Beto to continue leading the line in this improving Everton side for the foreseeable future given the current lack of a return timeline for Calvert-Lewin.
NDIAYE INJURY LATEST
There was less good fortune for backers of Iliman Ndiaye (£5.5m), however. The versatile forward had scored in three straight matches coming into this Merseyside derby but was forced from the pitch in tears midway through the first half having appeared to injure his knee.
Post-match quotes suggested the severity of the issue is as yet unknown:
“We think he has possibly kicked the ground and may have jarred his knee or opened it up, we are not sure yet. We don’t know how serious it is but we will look tomorrow.” – David Moyes on Iliman Ndiaye
With a relatively quick turnaround to Everton’s trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday evening, the Senegalese must be a concern.
SLOT SEES RED
One player we definitely won’t see in that Gameweek 25 encounter is Abdoulaye Doucouré (£5.1m). The midfielder’s celebrations after the Toffees’ equaliser sparked a tussle that ended in him and Curtis Jones (£5.3m) each being shown a second yellow.
The Liverpool midfielder earned an assist for his effort that led to Salah’s go-ahead goal in the second half but will now be unavailable for the visit of Wolves on Sunday.
In the mayhem that ensued after the full-time whistle on Wednesday, a red card was also shown to Arne Slot (£1.5m). Those who have or are planning to slap the Assistant Manager chip on the Reds boss for his second straight Double Gameweek will be relieved to know that his absence from the dugout will have no bearing on his ability to earn points, given this is a team results-based chip!
MOYES WINS ASSISTANT MANAGER ROUND 1
In the end, this dramatic draw in what was Goodison Park’s last-ever Merseyside derby meant there was only one winner from round one of the Assistant Manager chip. That is of course David Moyes (£0.5m), who followed up his 12-point haul against Leicester with another 10 points against Liverpool. Moyes won bonus points for a draw against a side at least five league places above his own.
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