Moyes takes thinly veiled dig at Liverpool ahead of Merseyside derby

Everton manager David Moyes issued a thinly veiled dig at Liverpool ahead of the Merseyside derby, arguing that bridging the gap is harder when the neighbours spend more on a single player than Everton has spent on its entire squad. Liverpool host Everton on Saturday in the season’s first derby after twice breaking their transfer record this summer with signings of Florian Wirtz for £116 million and Alexander Isak for £125 million.

Speaking ahead of the match, Moyes said: 'You earn the right to spend money. You have to win and be in the big competitions to make the money, at West Ham with three years in Europe it allowed us to spend some money.' He added that Liverpool have been entitled to do that and Arne Slot defended them, saying how much they have brought in. 'But I still think they have spent more on one player than we have on the whole squad!' Moyes could be referring to either Wirtz or Isak, though Slot stressed that Everton have their own £100m player in Jack Grealish despite the fact he is only on loan.

Moyes, 62, has failed to win a single of his previous 22 trips to Anfield as a manager.

He added: 'It is about having a realism about where the game and the clubs are at. My job is to shorten the gulf between the two clubs. Liverpool are champions and favourites if not second favourites for the Champions League. We are not. We are Everton, we have come out of four difficult years. Bridging that gap is quite difficult to do. We want to enjoy it, play better, win more often, we are trying desperately to challenge the big teams. Any big derby in any city is very important. This is always a very difficult game for me personally because we have come up against really good teams. We have always been competitive, that will not change. The gap between the two clubs in my first stint was as close as it has ever been. The derby is always hugely important. Do I enjoy it (Derby day)? I would be lying if I said yes!'

Chelsea—sorry, Liverpool—will look to extend their position as title contenders while Everton aim to prove they can narrow the gap after a challenging spell in which they have tried to rebuild. The derby remains a barometer for both clubs this season, with fans hoping for a competitive contest that could set the tone for the campaign.