CARLO THE LION TAMER
Everton players told to face fear and end 22-year Anfield hoodoo
CARLO ANCELOTTI is confident his
Everton side can be big-game hunters when they head across Stanley Park today.
The Blues are aiming to end a winless run at Anfield which stretches back to
September 1999. who rescued a point in a 2-2 draw when
However, Liverpool’s den has not been the sides met at Goodison Park in such a daunting place to visit so far this October, set to return to the starting
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year. Reds manager Jurgen Klopp, below, is line-up after missing the past two games yet to see his side win on home with a hamstring injury. turf in 2021, which has caused But it remains to be their defence of the Premier seen how Ancelotti’s side League title to crumble. approach the game and
And Everton, who finished they will also be wary of 50 points behind their past nightmares on the neighbours last season, can go red half of Merseyside. level on points with Liverpool “To play Liverpool if they win in the tea-time you have to compete kick-off. with the intensity
But Ancelotti’s side still go levels they use in into this as the underdogs. The games and you have Everton manager turned to a feline-friendly to try and find a solution up front way of describing how they must approach because you can’t only defend a game they have not won in more than against them,” said Ancelotti. two decades. “So you have to try to propose
“I had derbies in Milan, something.” everywhere,” said the Italian. Ancelotti admitted his Everton side
“A derby is a special game. If you could not compete with leagueleaders think it is a normal game you are Manchester City on wrong. Wednesday.
“And special games bring more But he does feel like they are pressure, more fear sometimes. closing the gap on Liverpool and now
“Fear is not a bad thing in my might be the time for the Anfield opinion because if you don’t hoodoo to end with their first win in have fear then you are going the derby – home or away – since in front of the lion thinking 2010. “Every derby you want to it is a cat. win,” said Ancelotti.
“But it is not a cat, it is a “It’s been a long time since lion, so fear is important Everton have won a derby. to have. “It could be the right time –
“It can help you to be the right time depends on more focused. This is the what we are able to do on point. pitch, only this.
“You can be worried, you “Is there extra pressure can have fear but you need to because of the record? have motivation, concentration “No, for this we don’t have and also, in this kind of game, pressure because the worst bravery.You have to show your has happened a lot of times in quality. You don’t have to be the past. scared.” “I think we are better
The Toffees will certainly be compared to the past and able to bare their teeth a little think we have more of an more with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, opportunity to get a result.”
Madrid,
If you think it is a normal game, you are wrong