Liverpool
and Everton insist the Merseyside derby stakes are still high despite other
competitions providing chances of silverware.
Jurgen Klopp insists the Premier League will always be
Liverpool's priority as it prepares to face rival Everton at Anfield
in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday.
Following their astonishing Europa League victory
over Borussia Dortmund which sealed a place in the semifinals, the Reds made 10
changes for Sunday's 2-1 win over AFC Bournemouth.
Klopp has clashes with Everton and Newcastle United to
negotiate prior to the first leg of Liverpool's semifinal with Villarreal, but
he stresses that the league will always be at the forefront of his mind as he
prepares for his first derby since taking over.
"We had no other chance to win," he said
when asked why he had made so many alterations at the Vitality
Stadium. "I said to the boys that maybe sometimes rotation is for
resting players for another tournament. In our case, we only rotate because the
most important tournament still and always will be the Premier League. We
wanted to win the game - that's why we took another formation. You cannot rest
for a tournament, you can only try to find a few more fit players and that is
what we tried to do.
"We have two more Premier League games before the
next European game so we don't think about Europa League."
Liverpool has won five, drawn one and lost one of
its last seven league fixtures, a run that has the team eighth in the
table, five points behind Manchester United in fifth with a game in hand.
That means continental qualification through
its league placing is still very much within its grasp, but
opponent Everton has no such momentum.
Like Liverpool, Roberto Martinez's men have progressed
in another competition – they face Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final
on Saturday having previously made the last four of the League Cup this season.
In the Premier League, though, Everton has only
picked up three points from six games and drew 1-1 at home to Southampton last
time out when Ramiro Funes Mori's goal was canceled out by Sadio Mane, leaving
them 11th.
"Overall it is disappointing – we wanted to win
at home," said Funes Mori. "The goal didn't mean anything because we
did not win. We drew a game we should have won but we will keep fighting
until the end. We don't want to tie, we want to win.
"It is going to be an intense week. We have
important games coming up so we will do everything to win against Liverpool and
then go again in the FA Cup."
Six of the previous seven Merseyside derbies in the
Premier League have finished as draws, including Brendan Rodgers' last game in
charge of the Reds – 1-1 at Goodison Park in October.
Liverpool is undefeated in 10 top-flight derbies,
with Everton's last win coming in October 2010 when Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta
netted in a 2-0 triumph at Goodison.
Klopp will check on Divock Origi (back) and Kolo Toure
(muscular problem), with the likes of Christian Benteke (knee), Emre Can
(ankle) and Jordan Henderson (knee) all out.
Everton will monitor Leighton Baines (groin) and Aaron
Lennon (hamstring) in the lead up to kick-off, while Tom Cleverley (knock),
Seamus Coleman and Phil Jagielka (both hamstring) are less likely to make
it.
Key Opta stats:
- Liverpool vs. Everton is the fixture with the most
red cards in Premier League history (20), but there have been none in the
last eight meetings.
- Romelu Lukaku has scored five goals in his last seven Premier League appearances against Liverpool.
- Liverpool has not won back to back Premier League games at Anfield since May 2015.
- Roberto Firmino has been involved in 12 goals in his last 10 Premier League games (8 goals, 4 assists).
- Daniel Sturridge has scored in four of his last five Premier League appearances (four goals).
- Romelu Lukaku has scored five goals in his last seven Premier League appearances against Liverpool.
- Liverpool has not won back to back Premier League games at Anfield since May 2015.
- Roberto Firmino has been involved in 12 goals in his last 10 Premier League games (8 goals, 4 assists).
- Daniel Sturridge has scored in four of his last five Premier League appearances (four goals).
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