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Senior Liverpool first-teamer talks up Everton ahead of Merseyside derby
By Danny Wright
Simon Mignolet is wary that his Liverpool side could face a tough test when they come up against Everton after the international break.
Ronald Koeman’s Everton make the short journey across Stanley Park to Anfield in a Merseyside showdown on April 1, and both sides are in top form.
Liverpool are currently flying high in fourth place off the back of impressive results against Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham, while the Toffees have lost just once in their last nine outings in all competitions.
It suggests an explosive derby, with both sides looking for three points to further their European ambitions.
Mignolet, re-installed as number one keeper in the Liverpool side, is looking forward to the challenge posed by two of his international teammates.
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Belgian duo Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas have been stalwarts in the Everton team for the past few years and the 23-year-old striker is currently leading the league’s goalscoring charts after finding the back of the net on 21 occasions so far.
“Everton are playing very well at the moment, but it’s very important for us to take the three points at Anfield,” said Mignolet to Sky Sports.
“I see Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas every day and it’s really nice to talk about it. We [Liverpool] are all together. We’re in a good place, and we have to keep that going until the end of the season.”
Belgium have just one fixture during the two-week international break when they face off against Greece in a 2018 World Cup qualifier.
Mignolet, 29, is joined by Liverpool teammate Divock Origi in Roberto Martinez’s squad which includes a plethora of Premier League stars.
As well as Lukaku and Mirallas, Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, Toby Alderweireld and Kevin De Bruyne are just some of the English top-flight players in the star-studded Red Devils side.
In other Liverpool news, the club are in a transfer tug-of-war for this Serie A goal machine.
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