ROBLES: WE WILL ‘KILL’ BLUES JINX AT ANFIELD
JOEL ROBLES has warned Liverpool it doesn’t matter that history is on their side – because form, confidence and belief isn’t.
The goalkeeper knows Everton head to Anfield this afternoon on the longest winless run at the famous old stadium in Blues history – 16 league matches and 18 years in one of the world’s great derbies.
In fact, home and away, Everton have not beaten their bitter rivals in the league in 12 games, and one more disappointment would equal the all-time worst run they have experienced.
It was in 1999 that the Goodison club last won (below) at the home of their bitter rivals, but Robles insisted there is no fear amongst his team-mates and urged them to go for the “kill”.
The Toffees are the Premier League’s form team, with 23 points since the turn of the year on a run that has revived their top-four hopes, and the keeper believes the only history that matters is the most recent.
“I think it’s the best time to win at Anfield and we’re positive. The past doesn’t matter,” Robles said.
“I’m not scared of playing at Anfield. I don’t know why people think so negatively – it’s a problem when they do that.
“If we win, people will forget everything and we are positive. The last game or 1999 doesn’t matter – we are ready.
“They’re a good team, but we’re really motivated, we are ready for them. We are positive – we want to kill them.”
If anyone personifies Everton’s new-found confidence it is Robles. Last year’s visit to Anfield was the low point in his Blues career, a 4-0 thrashing for which fans blamed him.
It led to the signing of new keeper Maarten Stekelenburg in the summer and the Spaniard’s demotion to No.2, but he has since regained his place. Asked if he feared his Everton career was over after being dropped, Robles (right) added: “Yes, I did. In that moment things changed for me. But, when I went home and thought about it, I realised I needed to change my mentality.
“I had to train well and be ready for the moment when maybe the situation would change and I could grab the opportunity.”