Liverpool to take advantage of Everton’s time in transition

For much of Brendan Rodgers’ first season in charge at Liverpool the word ‘transition’ was used, but now that boot is on the other side of Stanley Park.

Everton have a new manager for the first time in over 11 years, and just like Rodgers in 2012/13 it is likely to take Roberto Martinez time to settle into his new surroundings.

David Moyes may not yet have taken Everton’s prized assets Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini with him when he swapped Goodison Park for Old Trafford, but more importantly he will have removed Everton’s sense of stability.

That was what provided so much of their admirable consistency and made them so tough to beat under the Scot.

And Liverpool can take advantage by finishing above the Blues for the first time in three seasons, something which they are priced at 2/9 to achieve.

FA Cup winner Martinez has recruited three of his Wigan Wembley heroes as well as the exciting Barcelona youngster Gerard Deulofeu on loan.

All are fine signings, but it will take the Spanish boss time to get to know the more established Goodison faces – just as it did for Rodgers at Anfield last season.

The Northern Irishman is now a year older and he’d hope a year wiser, and although yet another saga surrounding Luis Suarez continues to dominate matters at Liverpool, the manager has still been busy in the transfer market.

He’ll be hoping to add to the signings of Simon Mignolet, Kolo Toure, Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas this summer, and if Suarez leaves his transfer kitty will be handsomely swelled.

Keeping the Uruguayan and cheering him up may still be dominating Rodgers’ thoughts, but having a strong league season will be at the forefront of them too.

And if he does then that could well come at the expense of the Reds’ local rivals.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publication