The rules under EU law are that it must be a minimum ABV of 34.5%, and predominantly flavoured with juniper berries. That gives makers something of a blank canvas. Of course sales of gin are still going to continue, but whether the amount of gin that's going to come to the market is as much, I should think it will probably slow down. But there's still plenty of room in terms of sales to be had.” Figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed that there are now around 50 distilleries operating in the region, up from 35 in 2018, and just 25 in 2017. Our coverage of Everton is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment

So could the ginaissance be coming to an end - and are the Liverpool city region’s distilleries’ bubbles close to bursting? Gin making at Liverpool Gin Distillery on Castle Street (Image: Liverpool Echo)

When Liverpool Gin was launched, not only did it happen at a time where gin was starting to take off, but it also managed to capture the imagination of locals. From top to bottom, there are things that are not right for the football club. Everton, I think, are staring the obvious in the face as we speak. Whoever comes in, and I have to be honest I don't know who it will be that can save them, they've got a monumental job to keep them up this season." According to Prof Fillis, the final aspect is the thriving service economy in cities including Liverpool. What may come as a surprise, however, is that the Liverpool City Region has emerged as a hotbed for firms making the spirit - with various brands recording astounding success from Knowsley to West Kirby.

There have been widespread and vocal protests from fans against the board in recent games, and supporters staged a sit-in demonstration after the loss to Southampton. With the region home to various manufacturers - not least brewing and distilling giants Halewood Wines and Spirits - how have firms managed to capitalize upon this craze, and how long will it be before the bubble bursts? Rhubarb and ginger is the crowning jewel, but within the range, we’ve got other flavours that are also performing extremely well, and they also tailor for specific occasions. Gin got its name from genever - the Dutch word for juniper - and UK law to this day still dictates it must be predominantly flavoured with the berries. It’s a combination of the social aspect of drinking in places like gin bars, the amount of brands on offer at supermarkets, and that it’s not even just about different coloured gins anymore - it’s the number of flavours and so on. It’s a bit like alcopops were a few years ago, but in a slightly different manner.It's testament to the growth of not just Whitley Neill the brand, but the driving force behind the rhubarb and ginger flavour.” Another company adamant that the gin craze shows no sign of slowing is Wirral-based Handmade Gin Company. You then realise in the day-to-day running of it, there's many reasons why they don't - the scale of it is quite a challenge to manage, for one, it also means less of the worry upon production side meaning their focus can be on sales and on distribution. Everton's board of directors missed that game because of what the club claimed was a "real and credible threat to their safety".

Now selling in bars and restaurants across the city and further afield, the team at Three Graces say their focus will soon switch to rum - which they believe will be the “next strong spirit in the market”. Alan and Drew Hutchinson of Three Graces Gin Sadly, as more and more brands come onto the market, selling products cheaper and cheaper, as far as i'm concerned, that could mean a race to the bottom, which we are not taking part in.”As well as Liverpool Gin utilising the Liver Bird, there are two further city brands looking to capitalise upon iconic images from the city to help sell their product. They are second from bottom of the table with 15 points from 20 matches, above Southampton on goal difference. Former England midfielder Lampard, 44, replaced Rafael Benitez in January 2022 with the team 16th in the table and helped Everton avoid relegation.