Thursday, 21st November, 2013
Liverpool are still smarting from last season's dropped points in the Merseyside derbies as the 2013 version prepares to kick off at the "hostile environment" of Goodison Park.
Manager Brendan Rodgers' first taste of the two derbies ended in 2-2 and 0-0 draws respectively, the first away at Everton.
The Northern Irishman insists he has enjoyed the passion in one of the oldest rivalries in football, but told a press conference today: "There was no time to breathe in the build-up to the games last year.
"In the first game we should have won it. The second game was poor. It was too intense. the quality wasn't so good. At the moment, both teams have had very good starts and we're one of their rivals.
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"I enjoyed the games last season, and it will be a fiercely competitive game this time."
Indeed, Saturday will see Rodgers take Liverpool to Goodison Park, where Everton are unbeaten, while the Reds' only away defeat came against Arsenal earlier this month.
But the weekend's venue is playing on Rodgers' mind, as he added: "It's a completely different game there.
"It's a very hostile environment to go in and play a game. It's a stadium that tests your character.
"But our players coped with it brilliantly [last year] and I hope we can perform."
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