After a slow start to the season, Liverpool have picked up some much-needed momentum ahead of the first Merseyside derby of the season.
It's a slightly different story for rivals Everton, though. Frank Lampard's side left it late to escape relegation last season, and results so far this season suggest they could find themselves in the lower reaches of the table once more.
The two rivals go into the game off the back of contrasting fortunes in the midweek round of fixtures.
While Everton failed to hold onto a lead for the second straight game, remaining winless through five matches, Liverpool claimed a second successive win with Fabio Carvalho's last-gasp goal against Newcastle, and have a chance to make it three on the spin with victory down the road at Goodison Park.
The stats
Back in 2021, Everton picked up a rare derby win, the only one in their last 23 games against Liverpool.
However, the victory was overseen by Carlo Ancelotti, with their opener arriving when Richarlison scored from a James Rodríguez assist, and all three men have since left the club.
Last season's meetings both went the way of Jürgen Klopp's team, but before the 4-1 loss at Goodison Park, the Toffees had earned four successive home league draws in the fixture.
Everton have finished below Liverpool in each of the seasons in question, so that succession of points is not to be sniffed at.
In fact, only Chelsea v Manchester United has ended all-square more times than Everton v Liverpool - including games at either team's home ground - with 24 Merseyside derbies ending level.
More than a decade has passed since Liverpool secured back-to-back away victories in this fixture, when a Joseph Yobo own goal and a late Dirk Kuyt effort made it three wins in a row.
A failure to win this weekend, though, would represent the first time since the 2010-11 season that the Reds have won none of their first three away from Anfield.
The signings
Carvalho, signed from Fulham over the summer, has perhaps been more involved than anticipated for Liverpool with injuries limiting the options at Klopp's disposal.
His 90th minute winner in midweek showed he has fit in seamlessly, though - it was the Reds' 40th last-minute winner in the Premier League era, which puts them 12 clear of any other club, with the now-departed Divock Origi achieving the feat in a Merseyside derby as recently as December 2018.
The visitors will also be able to welcome back Darwin Núñez, who served the final part of his three-match ban on Wednesday.
The Uruguayan scored against Fulham on his Premier League debut, and is looking to score in successive away games after missing the trip to Old Trafford earlier in the campaign, though some eyes may be on his temperament in a fixture which holds the Premier League record for red cards at 22.
Everton, meanwhile, have begun integrating their own new signings. James Tarkowski, Conor Coady, Amadou Onana and Dwight McNeil all started against Leeds United in midweek, while Neal Maupay - goalless against Liverpool in five Brighton appearances - could make his debut for his new club on Saturday.
Everton v Liverpool prediction
Both teams have players chasing goals in three straight games - Anthony Gordon for the hosts and Roberto Firmino for the visitors.
If Gordon achieves the feat, he will become the youngest Everton player to score in three games in succession since Romelu Lukaku back in the 2013-14 season.
Gordon has played three times against Liverpool without a goal or a win under his belt, while Firmino - perhaps more surprisingly - has never netted in a derby either.
The Brazilian has been on the winning side six times in 12 meetings, though, tasting defeat just once.
Everton will take some encouragement that they are getting more shots away and looking threatening despite their failure to earn a win thus far, with their average of five shots on target per game comfortably above last season's 3.6 average.
The challenge, however, will be dealing with opponents whose 2.4 xGF per game - according to Infogol - represents the second-highest return in the league behind reigning champions Manchester City.
With City still five points clear of Liverpool after five games, Klopp's men are already low on wiggle room in a title race they'll still hope to be very much involved in.
A win for Everton would surely kick-start their own season, but the away side may just about have the edge, especially with their big-money summer signing returning to the fray for his first taste of a Merseyside derby.