Three key stats ahead of Everton vs Liverpool

By John Arkless

The Merseyside derby is upon us. We’ve had to wait a little longer than usual for the first meeting between Everton and Liverpool in 2016, but on Monday night, everything will stop in the city as the Reds make the short trip across Stanley Park to Goodison.

Liverpool have been in scintillating form so far this campaign, but Everton put recent struggles behind them last Tuesday with a 2-1 win over title challengers Arsenal at a raucous Goodison Park.

Expect the atmosphere to be even more intense on Monday, but in the meantime, check out these three statistics ahead of the derby:

21 – Red cards expected

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Perhaps unsurprisingly, this prickly fixture holds the record for the most red cards given in the Premier League era, with 21 dished out over the 24 years of the Premier League.

Goodison Park has seen 11 of those reds, making this game the most likely to yield a sending off in the season.

Mike Dean is the man who has been chosen to referee the game and he has sent someone off once in every four games he has officiated this season, more than any other Premier League referee.

The likelihood is he’ll be sending out some more Christmas cards on Monday.