adminLONDON. — Top spot and the small matter of local bragging rights will be up for grabs when Liverpool take on Everton at lunchtime in tomorrow’s Merseyside derby. Victory for Liverpool at Everton’s Goodison Park ground would send them above Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, while the home side could go level on points with the Reds if they come out on top.
Liverpool have had the better of the Merseyside derby — one of the oldest contests in British football — in recent years. And manager Brendan Rodgers believes his side’s strong start to the season is cause for great optimism as they try to qualify for the Champions League.
“For us to be up there in that top four with improvements still to made can be classed as a good start,” he said this week.
“You don’t set out to finish fourth or third. You always set out to win. You have to be realistic as well. It’s unprecedented for any team to go from eighth or seventh to go and win the league. That doesn’t stop us fighting to arrive there.
“I think it’s an exciting thought that we haven’t got near our full potential yet but we’ve collected the points.”
Liverpool will be hoping Luis Suarez and Lucas return from international duty injury-free, while Rodgers’ big choice could be whether to stick with the 4-4-2 formation that beat Fulham last time out.
Tomorrow’s match will be Roberto Martinez’s first taste of the derby but the new Everton manager is excited as Everton try to join their local rivals on 23 points.
“I have always been intrigued by this fixture — it’s special,” Martinez said.
“I realised after five minutes at the club how much this fixture means to the fans.
“It’s the feeling of being a blue or red within the same family, within the city, and that develops a real competitive edge of how you follow your football club.”
The form of Southampton has been one of the revelations of the season so far, the south-coast side standing third in the table after a series of outstanding displays.
But they will get a huge test on tomorrow as they travel to leaders Arsenal, who will be out to maintain their two-point gap at the top. — AFP.
Online Reporter