Team news

Liverpool preview
Defender Fabio Aurelio is set to return to the Liverpool squad for the 213th Merseyside derby at home to Everton.

Aurelio has missed the last three matches with a calf problem but is on the verge of a comeback.

Liverpool's only other absentees are striker Fernando Torres (knee), Yossi Benayoun (rib) and Glen Johnson (hamstring), all of whom are still some way off full fitness.

Liverpool vice-captain Jamie Carragher admits the fear of losing remains his overriding emotion when he comes up against Everton.

Fortunately for the Bootle-born defender, those occasions have been few and far between during his career at the club, with the last decade bringing just two defeats in 20 matches, including eight victories at Goodison Park.

The 32-year-old will play in his 25th derby at Anfield on Saturday - where Everton have not won since 1999 - but still feels the same pangs of nerves.

"My feelings haven't changed one bit. There is always that little bit of extra anxiety, which comes from the fear of losing," he said. "You talk about results being more important than performances but, ideally, you want to put the two together.

"But when you think over the last decade we've probably had our best ever run of results against Everton. Normally in the past whenever Everton have beaten Liverpool, the accusation was that they wanted it a little bit more.

"So I'm glad in the last decade we have turned that around and hopefully we'll be able to keep the run going into the next decade. The important thing is that you could never accuse us of lacking desire in these games."

Everton preview
Everton boss David Moyes is close to having a full squad available.

Spanish playmaker Mikel Arteta is back in contention for the Barclays Premier League clash after overcoming the groin strain which interrupted his comeback from a serious knee injury.

Nigeria pair Ayegbeni Yakubu and Joseph Yobo are back from the African Nations Cup while Jack Rodwell is also fit again.

Phil Jagielka (knee) is back in training after 10 months out and Tony Hibbert (hernia) is also close to a return.

Moyes has warned Liverpool the side standing in their way at Anfield are of top-four quality.

Liverpool, one of the pre-season title favourites, are facing a serious battle to retain their place among the Barclays Premier League's traditional leading quartet this season.

Benitez's side have fallen behind Chelsea, Manchester Untied and Arsenal and must now deal with fierce competition from Tottenham, Aston Villa and Manchester City for the fourth Champions League spot.

And Moyes, speaking ahead of the derby, believes arch-rivals Everton would also have been up there challenging had injuries not ravaged the first half of their campaign.

"We have got a really good group of players," said Moyes, who reaches the landmark of 600 games in management this weekend.

"We have a squad I think could have competed for a place in the top four - but obviously we have been working with half a squad for most of the year.

Liverpool vs Everton

Last modified 22:41 06/02/10

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Two sent off, another taken to hospital and the matchwinner left nursing a black eye.

Anfield’s House of Scouse became the House of Pain as the two tribes of Merseyside slugged it out on and off the pitch for the 213th time.

Liverpool’s Sotirios Kyrgiakos lasted 34 minutes before being red-carded for a two-footed tackle on Marouane Fellaini that ended with the Belgian put on an X-ray machine at Fazackerley Hospital.

Everton’s Steven Pienaar, who had sparked an afternoon of spite with an over-the-top challenge on Javier Mascherano that even David Moyes admitted warranted an instant dismissal, eventually departed when his injury-time barge on Steven Gerrard brought him a second yellow card.

It was the 19th sending off in the last 36 league meetings between the clubs – a Premier League record

By then, Rafa Benitez’s 10 men had gained an advantage they never looked like relinquishing after Dirk Kuyt had guided home his 50th Liverpool goal in the 55th minute from Gerrard’s wickedly-delivered corner.

“That’s what derbies are all about,” said Gerrard. “It’s about passion, commitment and fight and that’s what the fans love.”

The Liverpool captain was dead right. Flowing football was at a premium, but the contest made utterly compelling viewing.

Sanitised Premier League football this wasn’t, as the fog that swirled in from the Mersey added to an electric atmosphere cranked up by Liverpool’s inconsistent form this season and Everton’s surge up the table.

The friendly derby? Gone are the days when red and blue sit together. Stewards and police took up the front row of the Anfield Road’s top tier to prevent home fans throwing anything more vicious than insults towards the Everton supporters housed below.

Toffees’ captain Phil Neville set the tone with a first-minute lunge that sent Gerrard tumbling.

When Mascherano exacted retribution with a late stamp on Fellaini’s ankle, it seemed referee Martin Atkinson was losing control.

Atkinson’s patience finally snapped when Kuyt cynically tripped Landon Donovan and the Dutchman became the first of six bookings.

But the temperature continued to rise when Pienaar stamped on Mascherano and escaped with only a yellow card. Liverpool’s Argentine midfielder was fortunate to emerge with nothing more serious that a shattered shin pad.

Moyes said: “We have no complaints about Steven’s sending off because earlier in the game he was fortunate to stay on the pitch.”

That didn’t stop Jamie Carragher catching Pienaar in a man-trap of a tackle to join the list of miscreants.

When the carnage subsided temporarily, Maxi Rodriguez and Gerrard set up David Ngog who drilled his shot wide.

But the game exploded in the 34th minute when Kyrgiakos and Fellaini challenged for a 50-50 ball. Kyrigiakos slid in with two feet while Fellaini led with his studs and both took the full force of the collision.

But Atkinson decided the Greek was the aggressor and allowed him to receive treatment before producing the red card.

Fellaini was eventually replaced by Mikel Arteta after Everton’s medical staff had spent six minutes working on his shin.

An X-ray showed Fellaini had suffered nothing more serious than severe bruising, but he will still undergo another precautionary scan today.

Gerrard almost produced the breakthrough when his 25-yard free-kick bounced off the top of the bar.

At the other end, Tim Cahill’s flying header also clipped the bar after Mascherano had diverted Donovan’s cross towards the Australian.

It was fitting that muscle should win the game.

Kuyt had Howard behind him and Neville backing into his chest when Gerrard swung in a corner, but the Dutchman held off them off to guide his header into the corner and send the Kop into ecstacy.

Gerrard sparked another row when he smashed into Pienaar and was booked along with Victor Anichebe when calm was restored.

Despite their one-man advantage, Everton did not threaten until the closing minutes.

First Pepe Reina went full stretch to tip over substitute Yakubu’s long-range strike, then reacted well again to deny Anichebe.

When Pienaar caught Gerrard with a late but unintentional challenge as they tussled for a high ball, he was walking before Atkinson could produce his cards.