A bigger day if you’re Blue

THE best goal I scored in a Liverpool shirt came at Goodison Park in 2003, a curling shot from 25 yards that beat Richard Wright and turned out to be the winner.

But if I’m ever stopped in the street by Liverpool fans, it’s barely mentioned. Their first question is always about the goals I scored against Manchester United.

It’s a small example that underlines why the Merseyside derby is a bigger occasion for Everton. I can’t imagine Graeme Sharp is asked by Bluenoses about anything else but his 1984 goal against Liverpool.

Of course, the derby matters to Liverpool. But they have had more prolonged success so have to also look at the bigger picture, which meant competing with Manchester United, and now Manchester City as well.

For Evertonians, the kudos of winning the derby is huge in itself. Liverpool fans will be gutted if they don’t get three points but a lot of that will be due to the context of the title race.