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Saturday 8 February 2020 10:10, UK
Manager Carlo Ancelotti says he is hoping Everton will not have to watch local rivals Liverpool clinch the Premier League title at their Goodison Park home.
With Liverpool 22 points clear at the top of the table, thoughts have turned to when they could clinch a first title in 30 years.
If Liverpool keep winning, Manchester City drop three points, and Leicester drop any points between now and the Merseyside derby, Jurgen Klopp's side can potentially claim the title at Goodison Park on March 16, live on Sky Sports.
Asked what he thought of that prospect, Ancelotti said on Friday, ahead of Saturday's match against Crystal Palace: "The thought is that Liverpool is going to win the Premier League - I hope not at Goodison Park!
"There are a lot of stadiums, why in Goodison?"
But former Liverpool striker Ian Rush was unsurprisingly more interested in the possibility of a title celebration at the home of one of their greatest rivals.
"I think it would go down well for the Liverpool supporters - I'm not sure about the Everton supporters," Rush told Sky Sports.
"It would be nice to win it on Merseyside but I would like it to be at Anfield.
"But, if it's going to be at Goodison Park, I don't think any Liverpool supporters would be angry with that.
"One thing for sure is that Everton will be trying to make certain they don't win it there, so that will be a really entertaining game."
Everton midfielder Andre Gomes may yet play in the derby in March.
Gomes could make a comeback from a fracture dislocation of his ankle when Everton play Arsenal later this month.
The Portugal international sustained an horrific injury against Tottenham on November 3 but has made such rapid progress there are plans in place for him to feature in a friendly to test his fitness ahead of the team's return to action after the mid-season break.
"We are going to organise a friendly game for us when we come back from the holidays and everything is OK with him," said Ancelotti.
If Liverpool keep winning, Man City drop three points and Leicester drop any points between now and the Merseyside derby, Jurgen Klopp's side would claim the title at Goodison Park on March 16.
It would be only the second time a team have secured the Premier League title at the home of their local rivals, after Arsenal won the league at White Hart Lane in 2004.
