Pat Nevin
Former Everton winger on BBC Radio 5 Live at Hill Dickinson Stadium

It's been such a long time since anyone thought Everton were favourites for this game.

This is the first one at Hill Dickinson, if Everton win this they can jump up to sixth place in the league so there is so much riding on it.

The fans buy in to David Moyes' team because they know they are going to work for them. They know they are going to give their absolute all in every single game. It's amazing how much you can fall in love with a football team because of that. This is just the start of what Moyes is trying to do. Next year could be even better.

The architecture is spectacular here, it's a football stadium which is meant for nothing else. It is meant so you can feel the atmosphere and keep the atmosphere in.

Image source, Getty Images

Everton bid an emotional farewell to Goodison Park last season after spending 133 years at the famous old ground.

This season they have been settling in to their sparkling stadium on the waterfront, the Hill Dickinson, and this will be the first time they welcome neighbours Liverpool to their new digs.

It means that the 248th Merseyside derby will be the first league fixture between the sides not to be played at Goodison Park or Anfield.

Given the drama of the last derby at Goodison, the new ground has a lot to live up.

But it's time to start creating some more history... will it be those in red or blue who leave with fond memories of the first derby at the Hill Dickinson?

I was at the Stadium of Light for the reverse fixture earlier in the season and Sunderland played really well with 10 men in a 1-1 draw.

I watched the Black Cats again against Tottenham last week, and they are so well organised. They don't give a lot away.

I can see this being another tight game, but Aston Villa are at home and they really need a win to strengthen their grip on a Champions League place.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Aston Villa might be flying high in the Europa League semi-finals and near the top end of the Premier League table, but their league form of late hasn't been great.

Unai Emery's side have taken just 12 points from their last 11 league games - the fifth worst return in the division over that period - and only Newcastle have dropped more points from winning positions than the seven by Villa.

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For the past few years, the Merseyside derby has been all about bragging rights.

With the clubs fighting at different ends of the table, Everton were largely trying to dent in their fierce rivals' title hopes as they battled relegation, while Liverpool were tried to push their neighbours towards the drop zone on their road to silverware.

However, this one feels different. Bragging rights are again up for grabs but this time, there is the added prize of potential Champions League qualification.

The Blues start the day in 10th but can jump up to sixth with a win and cut the gap to Liverpool in fifth to just two points, really ramping up the pressure on Arne Slot's side.

However, a Liverpool win would take them eight points clear of Everton and seven above Chelsea in sixth. With just five games left after today, that might prove too much of a gap for the chasing pack.

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Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira could make unwanted history today.

Having already lost at home to Burnley this season with Wolves at Molineux, he could become the first manager in English top-flight history to lose twice at home to a newly-promoted team in one season.

The last manager to lose two home games against the same opponent in one season was Frank Lampard against Brighton in 2022-23 with Everton and Chelsea.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the City Ground

Elliot Anderson returns to the Nottingham Forest starting line up after the sad passing of his mother Helen.

Matz Sels and Nikola Milenkovic also return following the 1-0 Europa League win over Porto on Thursday, which booked a semi-final with Aston Villa.

Dilane Bakwa also makes his first Premier League start for Forest since January.

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Bakwa, Wood.

Subs: Ortega, Morato, Awoniyi, Dominguez, Igor Jesus, Yates, Cunha, McAtee, Netz.

Kyle Walker starts for Burnley as Scott Parker makes one change for the trip to the City Ground.

Bashir Humphreys drops to the bench while James Ward-Prowse returns to Forest, having played 10 games on loan last season.

Defeat would leave Burnley 12 points from safety with just five games left.

Burnley XI: Dubravka, Walker, Ekdal, Esteve, Hartman, Ward-Prowse, Florentino, Edwards, Ugochukwu, Anthony, Flemming.

Subs: Weiss, Worrall, Bruun Larsen, Foster, Humphreys, Tchaouna, Broja, Laurent, Tresor.

Aadam Patel
Football Reporter at the Hill Dickinson Stadium

David Moyes names an unchanged Everton side from the team that drew 2-2 at Brentford last weekend.

Everton XI: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner, Dewsbury-Hall; McNeil, Ndiaye, Beto.

Subs: Travers, Patterson, Keane, Barry, George, Dibling, Alcaraz, Rohl, Iroegbunam.

For Liverpool, Arne Slot makes four changes from their defeat to Paris St-Germain with Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo all coming in.

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.

Subs: Woodman, Pesci, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Frimpong, Nyoni, Ngumoha.

Aston Villa make three changes from their midweek win over Bologna. Tyrone Mings, Ian Maatsen and Ross Barkley come into the side.

Lucas Digne and Emi Buendia drop to the bench. Pau Torres misses out completely. Villa have only won one of their past six league games in which he has not featured.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, McGinn, Onana, Tielemans, Barkley, Watkins, Rogers.

Subs: Bizot, Lindelof, Buendia, Digne, Abraham, Sancho, Luiz, Bogarde, Bailey.

As for Sunderland, well they're unchanged from their 1-0 win over Tottenham last weekend.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, O'Nien, Mukiele, Alderete, Mandava; Sadiki, Xhaka, Rigg, Diarra, Le Fee, Brobbey.

Subs: Ellborg, Cirkin, Ballard, Geertruida, Talbi, Mayenda, Isidor, Hume, Jones.

We'll have full team news for you very shortly but I can tell you that both Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak start for Liverpool.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Win today and Aston Villa are almost certainly going to be playing in the Champions League next season. They would be 10 points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea with just five games left.

But Sunderland are chasing their own European dream and three points against Villa would see them rocket up the table from 11th to sixth.

The Black Cats haven't played in Europe since the 1973–74 edition of the Cup Winners' Cup.

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We've not got long to wait for the team news and I can tell you that both sides have arrived at the Hill Dickinson.

There was quite the welcome for the Everton team coach - probably for the Liverpool one as well, to be fair - but it is fair to say the home fans are up for this one!

A big day ahead at both ends of the table...

We've got three games kicking off at 14:00 BST before we head to the Etihad for a huge title clash between Manchester City and Arsenal at 16:30 BST.

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This is it, folks. We have reached the business end of the season and after nine months of hard graft, just a few weeks remain for teams up and down the land to try and achieve their goals.

Every matchday from here on out is going to feel big but this one feels particularly significant.

We've got a huge derby game, vital fixtures in the race for Champions League, a crucial match in the relegation battle and, of course, a potential title decider.

So get yourself settled in, this should be a cracking day of Premier League football...