Everton are heading into tomorrow’s Merseyside derby buoyed by a recent return to form and unburdened by the imminent pressure of relegation.
After all, this is a game in hand, and means far more for Liverpool than it does for the Toffees.
That power dynamic could be crucial in setting the tone for the clash, but so too will Sean Dyche‘s team selection.
There are not many ways he can play this fixture, but he will hope to spring a tactical surprise or two to justify the praise he has recently been receiving.
Tony Bellew was full of praise for Sean Dyche
Speaking live on talkSPORT yesterday afternoon, Tony Bellew was once again incensed at the mention of Farhad Moshiri.
His earlier rant detailed the outstanding failures of the current Everton owner, but those frustrations would eventually melt into praise for the work Dyche has done in such trying conditions.
In fact, he made a claim so bold, suggesting that the 52-year-old had done something this season so great that no manager on the planet could match it.
The former WBC Cruiserweight champion noted: ‘I believe this, and I’ll stand on this til the day I die. When we got deducted them ten points by the absolute cartel that’s running our Premier League, no manager in world football would have got the turnaround that he got in them games. No one. I don’t care what you say.’
Sean Dyche could become an instant Everton hero with a win over Liverpool
Whilst Dyche seems to already be a hero in Bellew’s eyes, with the 41-year-old constantly referring to him as ‘the Gaffer’, a term that can only be assumed is affectionate, there is still plenty of work that he must do to win over the fanbase.
After all, opinions have been varied regarding the former Burnley boss, whose style of play has come under fire given the torrid run of form suffered from December until early April.
They were pumping out a tired, boring style of play, yet failing to get results. There was little to write home about, but with two wins in their last three Premier League games, things do seem to be somewhat healing.
And should he lead his side to victory tomorrow night, as they welcome Liverpool to Goodison Park, he would certainly become an instant fan favourite.
After all, Everton have not beaten the Reds at home since 2010, and not only could a win help totally cement their Premier League status, but it would also derail the visitor’s title bid in Jurgen Klopp’s final year.