Beware The Red Mist

While the rest of the country wastes their time with the trivial goings-on of another England match, those of us on Merseyside are as ever less than glued to our television screens for Three Lions updates. It is no small exaggeration though to suggest that many of us have been fervently waiting for updates on Sky Sports over the last week or so for a very different reason.

You?d have to live on the moon to not know by now that our nearest and dearest neighbours are currently in full-scale turmoil. Executive civil war, dates at the high court and back biting by players and managers grips the City?s second team so tightly that their faces are turning purple. There?s a genuine red army revolution taking place across Stanley Park that almost makes one grateful that we have Blue Bill Kenwright at our helm.

Almost.

With all banter and laughing at cringe-inducing video montages aside, Evertonians have not let it escape them that Liverpool are next to visit Goodison Park for what will sooner or later (if it hasn?t already) been described as a six pointer. Every derby has spice and flavour but none before have tasted like this one does in the build-up. Both clubs have laboured to come out of the traps so far this season... and both, it can be said, need to win their next game ? no matter who they play. It?s just unfortunate that they play each other.

As unpopular as this point will be, it has to be said that, when all is said and done, Liverpool need the win more than Everton do. Roy Hodgson and his merry men need more than 3 points to drag themselves out of the relegation zone; they need a symbolic statement to give to all the eyes watching them at the minute.

You don?t need me to remind you how the romantics at Anfield will coin it. They?ll dress it as the sign of the end of one failed regime and the beginning of a new age of Liverpool glory and domination. You know in your heart that they?ll paint the need for victory like some Roman war march or song from an epic saga, mention the five times and Bill Shankly somewhere and another job is well done by the boys on the Kop. The loud noise of their ?RS? masses will drown out any among them who talk of tempered optimism and realism.

If you strip away the fleshy layers of fantasy they insulate themselves with, you will undoubtedly find ? to use a tired cliché ? a wounded animal. Say what you like about Liverpool, it is no lie to suggest that they are more than capable of producing tidal waves of effort and determination when they need to ? and it is because of this that David Moyes should be wary.

On paper, Everton are better than Liverpool, of that there is no doubt, regardless of what any delusional supporter will tell you. A stronger squad prepares itself this week at Finch Farm than at Melwood. It is also beyond question, though, that Everton do not boast a player anything like Steven Gerrard. As loathsome as the would-be England captain is, he is still the kind of player that, when the bit is between his teeth, cannot only force an opposition team into ducking for cover but he inspires the lesser lights around him to go supernova. When Gerrard performs, Liverpool do. And the opposition usually wilt.

As has been Liverpool?s weakness for a decade however, if you blunt their main weapon, they have no means to attack; they are a simple if deadly beast. Everton have won derby matches in the past simply by nullifying the Liverpool talisman and it is imperative that they do so again if they look to earn another victory on the back of their win at Birmingham. The Blues have it well within their powers to stop Steven Gerrard in his tracks but only if David Moyes knows which of his tools work best for him.

Bizarrely, Phil Jagielka?s injury could actually be a blessing in disguise ? for this game at least ? as it will force the manager?s hand with his team selection, ridding him of a headache that has been costing him in games so far. Johnny Heitinga would have likely came in to midfield this Sunday to try and combat the threat posed by Gerrard had Jagielka returned from England duty unscathed... but now there is no other choice for the Scot than to play the fan favourite in the centre of defence. His natural position, a role supporter sections are crying out for him to occupy anyway.

Sylvain Distin has historically performed better with the Dutchman alongside him and could do with any advantages he can get after the season he?s endured thus far. The niggling issue of distribution from defence is remedied also by playing the World Cup Finalist at the back as he has a greater distribution than any other defender on the books.

The biggest plus this injury will bring though is the knock-on effect it will have on the Everton engine room. Marouane Fellaini is a colossus at the heart of the midfield and integral to the team?s play when he is deployed there. The need for Johnny Heitinga to play at the back will mean the big Belgian has little chance of being shoehorned up front for this game and that spells trouble for Liverpool?s number eight.

The first that the majority of Everton supporters saw of Marouane was in his last game for his previous club, Standard Liege, a game many would argue was the catalyst for the player?s arrival at Goodison Park. During that game ? though his team ultimately lost the match ? Fellaini shackled Gerrard, keeping him quiet for the majority of the match... and that is the job he is to be tasked with this weekend if Everton are to have any hope of victory.

Of course Everton have the means to hurt Liverpool, even with one or two injuries they still have more than enough to ensure victory. The derby would be a dream game for either Jermaine Beckford or Yakubu to score their long overdue goal this season. Tim Cahill too is finally back amongst the goals and always likes to net one against our tribal enemies.

What Everton don?t have with their first victory under their belt this season is the whip of desperation that is lashing at Liverpool?s back.. Everton could really do with a win this Sunday but Liverpool cannot entertain anything other than victory; not even a draw will do for them. It is this need for The Reds to come and attack which Everton must make work to their advantage. This is the weakest incarnation of Liverpool there has been for 20 years, a weak and desperate Liverpool who will know nothing short of charging headlong to try and defeat their opponents.

Everton must play with cleverness about them that the manager needs to instil; they must choose their moments carefully and strike with precision. There are on-field frailties to this team that mirror their off-field woes. David Moyes has to prove his worth as a tactician and find the sore joints in Roy Hodgson?s team.

No matter what happens to Liverpool and their ownership saga, the ingredients are there already for an enthralling match that will have both sets of supporters gnashing at each other and neutrals sat wide-eyed. There will never be a better chance for Everton to give their supporters a gift by handing them more salt to rub into Liverpudlian wounds. The objective is clear: surf the red tide and beware the red mist. Everton can and must pile more misery on Liverpool FC.

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