Everton should be embarrassed of their recent form in the Merseyside derby, but will go into next week’s clash at Anfield with confidence on their side says defensive stalwart Seamus Coleman.
The Toffees have not beaten their city rivals since 2010, when goals courtesy of Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta ensured a 2-0 win in the Irishman’s first ever meeting with Liverpool.
Since then, there have been nine draws between the two sides, but little else for the Goodison faithful to be proud of.
Speaking prior to next weekend’s fixture, as reported in the Mirror, Coleman said: “It is quite embarrassing that that is the last time we beat them.
“Look, I don’t want to say the same old things I have said before every derby and then we don’t turn up. We have to turn up and do it on the pitch. We don’t want to make all the headlines and then the fans go we have heard that before. We have to turn up.”
Liverpool remain unbeaten in the league so far this season, but Everton have won five of their last seven, and the Irish full-back insists that the Blues will go into the game on a high.
He said: “Honestly, we are full of confidence going there.
“We won’t change the way we play or anything like that, like maybe we have in the past, it won’t be a case of going there for a draw. The manager sets us up to win every game and hopefully the lads will then step up to the occasion.”
OPINION
There’s very little shame in losing to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side. The German has reinvigorated the club and turned his side into genuine title hopefuls. In many ways Everton are just unfortunate that this renaissance has come around at the same time that they themselves are beginning to look like a serious proposition. For years they have threatened to break out of the stagnation that has dogged the club for so long, and now under Marco Silva they look as if they might make good on that promise. Players like Gylfi Sigurdsson and Richarlison look to be a cut above the quality of talent they have been working with for the best part of 20 years or so, and Silva steadily appears to be resolving the defensive issues that have prevented the Toffees from making notable progress before now. In truth, they are still a prolific goalscorer away from the assurance of European football, but on their day they can give anybody in the league a game. Liverpool will still be strong favourites to extend their unbeaten run come derby day, but if Everton can go to Anfield and frustrate the glittering array of attacking talent on display, who knows what the likes of Sigurdsson and Richarlison might be steal for them.