Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby is the name given to association football matches between Everton and Liverpool, two clubs based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is the longest running top-flight derby in England, with its first official match being played on 13 October 1894. The derby has been played continuously since the 1962–63 season. Part of the rivalry is due to the close proximity of the two clubs' home grounds, being less than a mile apart and within sight of each other across Stanley Park. Everton play their home matches at Goodison Park, while Liverpool play theirs at Anfield.
The derby on 25 March 2006 | |
| Other names | The friendly derby |
|---|---|
| Location | Liverpool |
| Teams | Everton Liverpool |
| First meeting | 13 October 1894 First Division Everton 3–0 Liverpool |
| Latest meeting | 21 October 2023 Premier League Liverpool 2–0 Everton |
| Next meeting | 16 March 2024 Premier League Everton v Liverpool |
| Stadiums | Anfield (Liverpool) Goodison Park (Everton) |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 243 |
| Most wins | Liverpool (99) |
| Most player appearances | Neville Southall (41) |
| Top scorer | Ian Rush (25) |
| All-time series | Everton: 67 Drawn: 77 Liverpool: 99 |
| Largest victory | Liverpool 6–0 Everton (1935) |
The Merseyside derby was traditionally referred to as the "friendly derby" because of the large number of families in the city with both Everton and Liverpool supporters, and it was one of the few that did not enforce total fan segregation. The 1984 Football League Cup final at Wembley was nicknamed the "friendly final" due to almost all sections of the ground being mixed and supporters of both teams banding together to chant "Merseyside". The 1986 FA Cup final witnessed similar scenes of solidarity. Since the mid-1980s, the rivalry has intensified on and off the field, and has seen more red cards given than any other game since the creation of the Premier League.