FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Aston Villa - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - September 13, 2025 Everton manager David Moyes reacts after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble/ File Photo
(Reuters) - Everton manager David Moyes said taking on Liverpool had always been a difficult task for him, but he was aware that the defending champions have some vulnerabilities ahead of Saturday's Merseyside derby in the Premier League.
Moyes, who has won only six of the 44 matches he has faced against Liverpool in his managerial career, said the visit to Anfield would help gauge Everton's quality after his team picked up seven points in their first four league matches.
"As much as Liverpool have shown at different times where they have been very good ... other times they have shown some vulnerability when they have conceded goals," Moyes told reporters on Friday.
"We will have to try and take advantage of those moments as well. We played them last year at Anfield and lost to an offside goal and we want to try and run them close again and maybe this time things will go in our favour."
Liverpool, who have won all four of their league games so far, earned their first win over Everton in three matches when they beat Moyes's side 1-0 through Diogo Jota's second-half strike in April.
"This has always been an incredibly difficult game for me personally because we've always come up against a very good Liverpool team," said Moyes, who has suffered 27 losses to them while managing Everton, Manchester United and West Ham United.
LIVERPOOL'S THREAT OF LATE GOALS
Moyes cautioned against the threat of late goals from Liverpool, who clinched victory with late strikes in all four of their league matches as well as in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
"The better sides tend to sort of wear you down a little bit and concentration changes ... we've shown resilience in defence so we'll be looking to maintain that," the Scot said.
"It was the same with (former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson), he used to be getting Fergie time ... I see that as the same with Liverpool."
Moyes, however, said Everton would always be competitive against their local rivals.
"If you've played in derbies or if you've been involved in any then you'll know it's always hugely important to win it if you can, that's the job," he added.
"I think everyone is fully aware of it, it is led by the media and the supporters and it's such a big game and it has come quite early in the season this one but it will give us a chance to see where we are against one of the top teams."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
