Derby hype is 100 per cent right, says Klopp

Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, could be forgiven for thinking there is a cavalry charge heading across Stanley Park today.

Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles left no room for doubt when summing up his club’s best approach to securing victory in the Merseyside derby at Anfield. “We need to kill them, that’s it,” said the Spaniard.

In fairness, there was mischief rather than venom in that threat but it was reflective of the buoyancy at Goodison Park since the last derby. Today’s fixture is not only a chance for Everton to end a barren run at Anfield but to reduce the gap in the Premier League table between the sides to three points.

Given Liverpool were title contenders when Sadio Mané struck the 94th-minute winner in December, that is a shift in momentum Klopp can ill afford as he seeks to secure a Champions League place.

“It is opportunity, not pressure,” said Klopp, when asked if his side had more to lose.

“What I have learned is that it helps if you don’t think too much about the pressure in games like this. We all know how important it is for everybody. The pressure is always there. We need positive aggression. Not that we want to show that we are really ready to make crazy challenges, or whatever, but we are ready to hurt ourselves. That is how I understand it.

“I don’t remember one game that wasn’t important this season, and last year I remember Everton was under a little pressure. My colleague [Roberto Martínez] was sacked a few weeks later. The hype around a derby is 100 per cent right and OK.

“I would really prefer that we win it, then life is a bit better, but since the last game we played, Everton have made a big step,” Klopp added.

“Everyone knows it is very important. Now we have to show it and not talk about it.”

Ronald Koeman, the Everton manager, feels his players have been travelling to Anfield with fear in recent seasons, which may go some way to explaining the extremes with which Robles is prepared to go this time around.

Naturally, Koeman is rather more circumspect in his language but feels his Everton side are now better equipped.

“I think so,” he said. “The team is stronger and has a different mentality, more aggression and more of the intensity that you need to play against Liverpool, but you need to show it,” he said.

“It’s not a case of being afraid exactly, but not being afraid to play in a certain way. You know they will press and be aggressive and maybe Everton were not prepared in the best way for a game with that type of football. At home, we went face-toface and maybe 98 minutes was too long, but that was a good impression of how I like to play and how we need to play against Liverpool.”