We were so bad, I couldn’t bear to watch us on Match Of The Day SAYS ASHLEY WILLIAMS

Born-again Blues bidding to silence the Kop Sam: Let’s believe in ourselves

SAM ALLARDYCE has warned his Everton stars not to hide at Anfield today – even though they are massive underdogs.

The new Everton boss says anything is possible for his players if they believe in themselves against Liverpool.

Allardyce must reverse a shocking Everton record in recent games against their bitter rivals, with the Toffees not winning in their last 14 meetings in all competitions stretching back to October 2010, when they won 2-0 at Goodison Park.

Everton haven’t won a Premier League derby at Anfield in their last 17 trips across Stanley Park since a 1-0 win in September 1999 when Kevin Campbell (below) scored the only goal in a game when Liverpool had Steven Gerrard and goalkeeper Sander Westerveld sent off, and Francis Jeffers saw red for the visitors.

But Big Sam said: “Everybody knows where we are at the moment and we would be the underdogs – but the underdogs can win at Anfield.

“We can all, on our day, beat the opposition in the Premier League. That’s why it’s so good. So we have all to believe that on our day, if we play our best, it could be good enough to beat Liverpool.

Atmosphere

“As long as we give it our best shot, and the fans see us doing that, there’s no reason why we can’t get a result. “This derby atmosphere is so different to any other Premier League game and you tell the players, ‘Look this is something special. Try to bring the best out of your game today. Don’t hide and don’t fall foul of that enormous pressure you are going to come under. Accept it and grow. Feel 6ft 6in tall when you go out on the pitch – and deliver.’ “The size of the game handles the energy of the players, but they have to run around with some thought, and some stability and sense. Deliver the right performance in the right areas, and you can get a result.” Allardyce had a good record in derby matches while managing at West Ham, Sunderland and Newcastle. Despite being way behind Tottenham in terms of development, Allardyce guided West Ham to two wins and a draw over Spurs in his six derbies in charge of the Hammers. And in the two derbies he had managing Sunderland against Newcastle he won one and drew the other. As Toon boss in 2007-8 he gained a draw at the Stadium of Light. He added: “The intensity of it at Sunderland and Newcastle is massive, with both teams immersed in the noise and commitment. “I hope the Merseyside derby is a good experience too.”