A thinly-veiled message from Everton could perhaps suggest they are fully aware of the stakes for Liverpool ahead of tonight's Merseyside derby with Arsenal breathing down their necks.

Premier League table-toppers Liverpool have held a game in hand over current second-placed team Arsenal since early December. That was all becauseof their match against Everton was postponed due to abhorrent weather conditions.

But tonight that will all change. The Merseyside derby is finally going ahead and it is one of sheer significance for both teams involved on the field of play plus another 177 miles away in North London.

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Arne Slot's team will move equal with the Gunners on 24 matches played for the season, no matter the outcome. That would only decide whether the points margin remains at six, minimally increases to seven or extends to a daunting nine.

Arteta would therefore pray for the first outcome and what would be a massive helping hand from the club he made 209 appearances for as a player between 2005 and 2011.

And in what could be taken as a show of solidarity in united rivalry against Liverpool, it is a picture of the Spaniard that sits front and centre of Everton's official match programme.

It goes without saying the Toffees have their own motivations to win tonight's clash asides from helping the team directly competing against Liverpool.

A 132-year local rivalry, their own ambitions to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season. After all, they sit two places above the drop zone.

Most importantly it is the 120th Merseyside derby to ever be contested at Goodison Park and it will be the last, as next season the club move to a brand new 52,000-seater venue on the banks of the River Mersey.

The record at Goodison is equally split at 41 wins apiece, meaning the bragging rights from victory this Wednesday would be historical.

But to choose a picture of Arteta over commemorating any of that history on their programme cover, it is certainly an interesting choice.