Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers has never lost a Merseyside derby as Liverpool manager and extending that record at Everton on Sunday appears imperative to stop another round of soul-searching about his future.
Rodgers’ position has come under severe scrutiny during a run of just one win in five Premier League games and two unconvincing draws in the Europa League.
A first defeat for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby since October 2010 would only increase the pressure on Rodgers during the up-coming international break.
But the Northern Irishman said on Friday that he believes his team is improving as they look to secure the win they need to go above fifth placed Everton in the Premier League table.
“This is my fourth season of going to Goodison Park and we’ve played well there and been unfortunate not to come away with victories,” he said.
“We’ve never lost there in my time. Hopefully that continues. I’m looking forward to seeing the continuation of the team developing.
“When we first started the season we had a couple of wins but we weren’t creating so many chances. Now it’s starting to evolve where we’re starting to create opportunities and clear-cut chances.
“So we know whether we’re playing home or away, we’re back into the flow of creating chances. Now what we have to do is take those chances.”
Pre-season signing Christian Benteke faces a fitness check on a hamstring injury which has kept the striker out of Liverpool’s last three games, but he is not expected to play.
However, the return from long-term injury of Daniel Sturridge has given Liverpool’s attack a more potent look and after being rested for Thursday’s 1-1 draw with FC Sion in the Europa League he will return to partner Danny Ings, who was named in the senior England squad for the first time on Thursday.
“You saw Daniel’s quality in the game last week. He is obviously at a really high level in terms of his ability to score a goal,” added Rodgers, who was grateful for Sturridge’s two goals in a 3-2 win over Aston Villa last weekend.
“He is important for us. We have missed him over a long period of time. What top players do is also give the team confidence.
“Him coming back into the reckoning for the weekend is a massive boost for us and when he plays you know he’s got that star quality.”
Everton appear to be the more content of the two rivals who will contest the 225th Merseyside derby.
While Liverpool have struggled for consistency, Roberto Martinez’s side have come through a testing start to the Premier League season relatively unscathed.
Deserved victories over Southampton and Chelsea, allied to respectable draws at Tottenham and Swansea, have formed a solid base on which to make a push for European qualification.
And although last Monday’s match at West Bromwich Albion showed Everton’s defensive frailties have not been eliminated, the spirit they showed in coming from two goals down to win 3-2 gave plenty of cause for encouragement.
“We showed incredible belief,” Martinez said. “As you can imagine, the confidence goes through the roof when you get the feeling of winning a game after coming back from a two-goal deficit.”
If confidence is through the roof, Martinez will be hopeful of securing his first Merseyside derby victory at the fifth attempt.
Everton have not won any of their last 10 meetings with Liverpool.
This has generally been a fixture of tight margins in recent seasons; five of the last six meetings between the sides, including the last three at Goodison Park, have ended in draws. When there is so little between the teams, key players become essential.
Everton will be hoping that centre-back John Stones and right-back Seamus Coleman recover from the injuries that have kept them out of recent matches.
