David Moyes press conference LIVE - Everton injury and team news for Liverpool

LIVEUpdated 1 hour agoDavid Moyes press conference LIVE - Everton injury and team news for LiverpoolLive coverage of David Moyes' press conference to preview Everton's first-ever Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Hill Dickinson Stadium on SundayCommentsSportJoe Thomas and Paul Wheelock Head of sportWelcome to our live coverage of David Moyes' press conference to preview Everton's first-ever Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday. The Blues boss will be with us at 1.30pm.

Not only is the showdown the first meeting between the city rivals at Everton's magnificent new waterfront stadium historic, it's a vitally important one too.

While Liverpool will be aiming to cement their place in the top five, their neighbours will be attempting to gate crash the Champions League places.

The Blues kept their hopes of European football alive last weekend with a last-gasp 2-2 draw at fellow high flyers Brentford. But can they can go one further this weekend and beat the Reds?

Everton manager Moyes is sure to be asked that question among many others, including fitness updates on Jack Grealish and Carlos Alcaraz, the latter of whom has returned to training.

Joe Thomas is at Finch Farm to bring you live updates from the press conference.

New UpdatesKey EventsDavid Moyes is in the roomView PostToday14:01 BSTTeam news - Alcaraz back in trainingOn Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Moyes is full of praise. He thinks the headlines around the arrival of Jack Grealish took the spotlight off him and that he has done very well and been brilliant.

Team news - Moyes says Alcaraz is back training so it only seems that Grealish is out.

On the 1878s' work: "It is brilliant." He stresses the importance of the fans backing the team and having a good relationship with the club.

Finally, from Reuters, Moyes is asked about the way his squad has grown since he returned. Moyes says they have been through a lot together, largely before his time. He wants to add to the group and to continue progress.

That is it for the open section of the press conference, and these updates.

CommentsJoe ThomasToday13:57 BSTRising to the challengeGiulia from BBC-how are the players rising to challenge of Europe battle? Moyes says that if they don't rise for this he does not know what they would rise for. He says he doesn't think surviving relegation should be celebrated - he wants the club competing at the other end of the table and that is where they are.

Asked about Coleman and Baines he agrees they were the pair that 'pushed him over the edge' when he was considering a return. He trusts them both - he says it is isn't unusual for him to maintain good relationships with former players - but he clearly has a lot of time for that pair, and others. He says there is a lot about the current group that he likes, too.

CommentsJoe ThomasToday13:54 BST'I only focus on Everton'PLP Productions ask about the importance of starting the game well. Moyes accepts that is important but also says finishing games well is crucial too.

Asked about Beto's form, Moyes says he is pleased for him and that he has a great attitude and works very hard. He hopes Beto continues his form.

On Liverpool's form "I look at Everton" - he says he doesn't pay a huge amount of attention to Liverpool and he can only focus in the Blues.

CommentsJoe ThomasToday13:53 BSTMoyes on the first derby at new stadium and his futureMoyes apologises for being late and Vinny gets us underway, after some pre-question chat about golf.

Right, first up - Vinny asks about the significvance of the first derby at the new stadium.

DM: "It was amazing the last game at Goodison and I was privileged to be able to lead the team... leaving it in a good way was plaeasing. We're now in the Hill Dicky and we are enjoying it."

Says it is "always difficult" to move stadium and EFC have had their ups and downs but have improved recently and he hopes they can take the better form into the final three home games of the season.

He wants to catch the teams above Everton but warns the bigger challenge is stopping those behind the club catching up and overatking them. The "biggest thing" for Moyes is that with six games to go the club is competing for the something at the right end of the table.

Moyes refuses to discuss his future when Vinny says 'positive noises' are coming from above. He says that is not important to him at the moment.

CommentsJoe ThomasToday13:49 BSTDavid Moyes is in the roomAnd we are underway - Sky Sports' Vinny O'Connor will kick us off.

CommentsJoe ThomasToday13:36 BSTNo sign yetDavid Moyes, it appears, is running a little late.

CommentsPaul WheelockToday13:15 BSTA big game for the Under-21sBefore we get to the derby, the Under-21s are playing their final game of the regular Premier League 2 season. They host Ipswich Town tonight in a game that is crucial to their European ambitions. Paul Tait's side cannot qualify by rights to the Premier League International Cup - a tournament that has offered them a great platform this season. That is because they cannot finish inside the top 16.

A win tonight could lift them from 22nd to 18th, however, meaning that if a couple of teams choose not to enter the tournament, they could sneak in. That is plausible - 17th and 18th were able to enter this season because Arsenal and Liverpool opted not to take up their spots.

CommentsJoe ThomasToday13:11 BSTMedia room filling upThe media room is starting to fill up now - we have BBC, Sky, Premier League Productions, the Times, Guardian and Telegraph among those in attendance.

The car park was a bit quieter on the way in but I was surprised to see a few hardy fans braving the conditions outside, waiting for the players to come out. The weather is rubbish down here!

CommentsJoe ThomasToday13:01 BSTArne Slot: Everton are in a very good placeThe Liverpool head coach was asked about the first-ever Hill Dickinson Stadium earlier today.

He said: "It's always a very special game, [it] doesn't matter if it's the 60th game being played in the stadium, but if it is the last one being played at the stadium and the first one that always makes it probably even more special if that's even possible.

"Of course, they are in a very good place at the moment. It's always special, but maybe you can add one or two per cent to it, because it's now the first and last season it was the last [at Goodison Park].

"But it will always be a very special game for them, but definitely also for us."

CommentsPaul WheelockToday12:52 BSTWelcome to Finch Farm Hello everyone, Joe Thomas here at Finch Farm - where the rain was pouring down as I drove in 10 minutes ago.

David Moyes is due with us in 40 minutes, hopefully to tell us some good news about the status of the squad ahead of a MASSIVE game on Sunday

CommentsJoe ThomasToday12:52 BSTKiernan Dewsbury-Hall previews the derbySafe to say the in-form Everton midfielder cannot wait for his first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium...

“It’s always spicy, it’s always gritty. I’ve watched it for years, and it’s always that game where everyone wants to tune in.

“We need to go out there and put a real statement out to show that we’re trying to close that gap now. I do believe we can do that.

“Obviously, our last result at home was very positive, so it’s about maintaining that. As I’ve said before, when the fans and the players are in alignment (like they were against Chelsea), it can create something special.

“I’m very, very excited for the game.”

CommentsPaul WheelockToday12:39 BSTAlan Shearer makes big derby and David Moyes claimsThe Premier League's all-time leading goalscorer has been speaking to Betfair.

And here's what he's had to say:

"The Merseyside derby will be unbelievable this weekend. I think because of the size of Liverpool it is one of the biggest derbies in world football. Liverpool are a huge football club, as are Everton. But I mean, worldwide, Liverpool clearly are bigger than Everton. I think because of the history, because of what both teams have achieved in the past, yeah, it's one of the biggest derbies in the world, definitely.

"Everton, without doubt, will fancy their chances, as will David Moyes. You can imagine the Everton players and fans looking at Liverpool coming to their new ground on Sunday. Everton are flying this season. David Moyes has done a wonderful job, and they've got a chance of qualifying for Europe. They would take great pleasure in beating Liverpool this weekend to help their cause of getting into Europe.

"They’ll be full of confidence. It'll be a cracking atmosphere, as they always are both at Anfield and at Everton. So yeah, they'll fancy their chances because they'll sense that Liverpool are in trouble and have been for a while, so they'll want to go and take the points.

"You can imagine how loud the noise will be around Slot if Liverpool were to lose on Sunday. I mean, Slot is under pressure anyway. They’ve had a really disappointing season. Clearly, he doesn't fancy Mo Salah anymore, because he didn't play him in Liverpool's two biggest games of the season in the Champions League. So, you can imagine mentally what that does to Mo albeit he'll still want to go out on a high. The noise will be really, really loud if Everton beat Liverpool.

"I think, depending on how Everton end the season and depending on how Brentford end the season Moyes has to be in the running for the Premier League manager of the year. I mean, normally, whoever wins the league gets the Manager of the Year, but David Moyes and Keith Andrews, depending how they finish, will be in with a shout, absolutely."

CommentsPaul WheelockToday12:39 BSTSix Liverpool players sidelinedArne Slot confirmed this morning that defender Joe Gomez won't be fit this weekend.

The England international joins Hugo Ekitike, Alisson Becker, Wataru Endo, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley on the sidelines.

CommentsPaul WheelockToday12:39 BSTGood afternoonAnd welcome to our live coverage of David Moyes' pre-Merseyside derby press conference.

The Everton manager will sit down in front of the cameras at Finch Farm at 1.30pm.

Joe Thomas will soon be in place for us at the Blues' training ground. But until then stick with us as we have plenty of pre-press conference reading.

And we'll start by getting the very latest from the Liverpool camp after their head coach Arne Slot held his own press conference this morning.

And we'll also get the thoughts of Premier League legend Alan Shearer, who believes Everton can win Sunday's historic Hill Dickinson Stadium showdown.