The Royal Blue Mersey staff predicts the derby

Everton and Liverpool will take to the pitch Saturday afternoon at Goodison Park. To relieve some of our anxiety as we wait patiently for the derby to begin, we decided to make some predictions, and let you have your say as well. Make sure you vote in the poll and let us know your predictions in the comments.

Tom Woods - @RealTomWoods

Everton head into the game without Tim Howard, and there are still question marks over James McCarthy's fitness. Liverpool, on the other hand, seem to be on the upswing and will enter the derby with a lot of momentum thanks to their come-from-behind victory against Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup on Wednesday.

The Blues' most recent game also resulted in victory away at Crystal Palace, but form always goes out the window when the Merseyside Derby comes around. Liverpool usually have the upper hand, but I think if the crowd really gets behind the boys we can get something out of the game.

I think it'll be a closely-fought game which will end all square. I'm envisioning an early Daniel Sturridge opener, before Romelu Lukaku levels things up later on in the game.

Prediction: Everton 1 - 1 Liverpool

Tom Mallows - @Tom_Mallows

With all the hype being about Steven Gerrard it's hard not to fear the worst. The media are willing him to win and score, with Everton cast as obliging victims.

That pre-match hype should hopefully serve as a motivation to the Everton players, who must detest having the script written for them.

Liverpool go into this game in fine form and with Daniel Sturridge typically back to full fitness just in time. But they have not convinced in their recent games, relying on a 91st minute winner to edge past 10-man Bolton in their most recent game on Wednesday.

Everton meanwhile are slowly but surely edging away from the abyss they saw themselves staring down at the turn of the year. Last Saturday's battling win at Crystal Palace was a welcome shot in the arm and hopefully a sign their form is returning, even if they still have a lot of improving to do.

It is always hard to predict a game of this nature but I'm saying - in hope much more than expectation - that Everton are capable of edging this one 2-1 with goals from Mirallas and Lukaku, Sturridge scoring for them.

Prediction: Everton 2 - 1 Liverpool

Sean Ferguson - @LittleSaun

There's a Merseyside derby this weekend? Oh you must mean one of the great Steven Gerrard's final farewells. If you've listened or read the build-up to this match you might have not realised Everton are playing. However, the Blues are playing Saturday and I can see them building on the previous match against Crystal Palace and getting a credible result; if Bolton had taken Liverpool to extra-time I'd be leaning towards an Everton win. I can see goals in this game and it should be a tight game, I've got 2-2 in my head and that is what I'm going to predict.

Prediction: Everton 2 - 2 Liverpool

Calvin - @Mr_Faded_Glory

God I want Everton to win this one so bad, just because it's the last Merseyside Derby game for shmuck-who-need-not-be-named. Alas, I have even littler faith in this year's Toffees than I have had in any squad in about a decade, so expecting them to actually win would be tantamount to waking up and hoping the eggs in the refrigerator magically hopped out overnight and turned themselves into eggs benedict. 2-1 to the RS I say, unfortunately. And that slimy captain of theirs to get one too, also unfortunately.

Prediction: Everton 1 - 2 Liverpool

Ryan Blank - @RBlan008

The season hasn't exactly gone according to plan for either club with the Toffees in twelfth place and the reds in seventh. However, the Merseyside derby tends to bring out the best in everyone. Feeding off of his unintentional goal from last week, Big Rom should find the back of the net and maybe Mirallas too, since he needs to step it up if he wants a new suitor over the summer. The downside is that Everton's defense has been too shaky this season and Liverpool have too many weapons. I begrudgingly predict 3-2 Liverpool.

Prediction: Everton 2 - 3 Liverpool

Sean Yancy - @Sean_Yancy

Put all the talk of Steven Gerrard, Roberto Martinez, Romelu Lukaku, Aaron Lennon, etc. out of your head. I'll be wearing my lucky Everton retro shirt on Saturday, the one that propelled that laser shot from Phil Jagielka's foot that stuck the ball in the back of that red net on the 27th of September, 2014. Don't ask me how the shirt is going to do it, but we'll get goals from Lennon in his debut and Barkley will find his form in the derby and get the late winner. Gerrard will get his, too, but it won't be enough. Everton get three points. If it doesn't happen I'll just blame Martinez like everyone else.

Prediction: Everton 2 - 1 Liverpool