Goodison Park will host the 235th Merseyside derby on Saturday afternoon, with top-of-the-table Everton set to face Liverpool in what promises to be a high-profile clash.
The Reds are the holders of the Premier League title but after four matches played, Carlo Ancelotti's men have three points more and are yet to suffer defeat.
It's reasonable to suggest that Jurgen Klopp's outfit will be the toughest opponents that Everton have faced so far, but the Blues could profit from a specific tactical dynamic once both sides take to the pitch.
Liverpool's go-to 4-3-3 system is well known, and most opposing teams tend to attack down the right side of their defence as a consequence of the difference in defensive strength between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez compared to Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk.
The former duo are understood to be less secure and more vulnerable when pressurised, and they also receive less support from Mohamed Salah in comparison to the tracking back that Sadio Mane does on the opposite flank.
In terms of what this means for Everton, Lucas Digne and Richarlison are much more penetrative than James Rodriguez and Seamus Coleman on the opposite side when it comes to linking up quickly, darting in behind and concluding moves.
Digne and Richarlison have combined on several occasions this season after receiving a switch of play from Rodriguez. Those situations have allowed the pair to overload the opposing full-back with an example shown below against Matt Doherty earlier in the campaign.
Rodriguez has played 24 switches of play so far - with a switch defined as a pass that travels more than 40 yards of the width of the pitch - which is the joint-most in England's top-flight alongside Jonjo Shelvey. Trent Alexander-Arnold - for perspective - has played 19 switches and ranks third.
A switch provided by the Colombian followed by an overload could be the answer for the Blues as they look to find the net, with Aston Villa profiting from that tactic in their recent 7-2 victory.
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After that contest, Villa boss Dean Smith stated: "We felt that if we reversed the ball to the opposite side, that's where the space would be."
Given how Liverpool defend as a unit by occupying space zonally rather than man-marking, Smith was right. The Reds are inclined to shuffle over as a team to the side of the pitch where the ball is located, and that tends to result in open spaces materialising on the opposite flank.
With Rodriguez playing switches to Digne and Richarlison, Everton could cause problems for Liverpool's weakest defensive department and it could deliver derby success for the first time in a decade.
Ancelotti's tactical shrewdness is largely unrivalled and as a result of his clever strategic thinking, perhaps focusing attacks through Digne and Richarlison will form the crux of his plan ahead of Saturday's battle.
Ultimately, Everton now have the tools to overcome their local rivals for the first time in a number of years.
