Forget about Manchester United - bring on Everton

Nothing went right against United. Players you can normally rely on had an off day and no-one can argue with the fact that United were worthy winners.

You have days like that in football and when you do the important thing is how you respond to them. There is no point feeling sorry for yourself.
You just have to work even harder to make sure you get things right the next time you play.

And what greater incentive can you have than a derby, the outcome of which will go a long way towards deciding who will play in next season's Champions League.

Liverpool are at home and before the United reverse they had won seven games on the spin so they have to approach this game with confidence, particularly as Everton have been stuttering a bit of late.

The two point gap that Liverpool have over them will be an important factor because it means Everton will have to look for a win.

They can't just sit back and defend like they did for long spells in last season's Anfield derby.

They have to come out and try and force the play because if they fail to win you have to think it will be
difficult for them to beat Liverpool to fourth place.

No doubt the game will be played at 100 miles an hour, as usual, and I think this is something else that
should give Rafa Benitez's men an advantage.

Liverpool have a bigger squad and the players have been rotated at various times during the season so
they should be fresher than Everton going into this game. They have to make the most of that.

The key, though, will be forgetting all about United and getting back to the basics which served them so
well in the weeks leading up to the trip to Old Trafford.

If Liverpool do that then I'm confident they will get the three points they are looking for and it would be a
big ask for Everton to overhaul a five point lead at this stage of the season.