Dyche has extra motivation to win Merseyside derby

Sean Dyche says the double incentive of avoiding relegation while denting Liverpool’s title bid will give Everton extra motivation tonight.

After losing his first two Merseyside derbies Dyche is bidding to become the first Everton manager to win a derby at Goodison Park since David Moyes in 2010.

“Every game you want to win but never more so than this game,” he said. “You would hope the motivation is there for every game. That should be the case for our players and for Everton football club. That is what we have been working towards but of course it [the derby] has an little bit of extra feeling. I’ve played and managed in derbies across the country and it means more.

“The noise changes, the players know what they get and the feel of the game does change.”

Dyche is aware he can win over his critics with a long overdue home win over their neighbours that would lift the Toffees eight points clear of the bottom three with four games left.

“What I’ve learnt about

this area is the feeling of what happens in these games can last a long time,” he added. “If you can be the person who makes the difference on the day, well that can live for a long time too.

“It won’t cure everything, but if you can get a result against Liverpool it would add to the narrative that things are slightly changing again.

“There’s a bigger picture that we all know. Yes, this is a super game. Outside of that, there’s more coming. It doesn’t solve everything to win this game because there’s a lot more out there. But of course, I’ve learnt very, very quickly the feeling Evertonians have for this game. I want to play my part which of course is to win.”

Striker Beto will be ruled out of the next two games, under the Premier League concussion protocols, after being knocked out in the win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.