Everton will go into tonight’s Merseyside Derby knowing that a win is far from definitive in the grand scheme of their relegation battle.
However, for Liverpool, anything less than victory could completely derail their title ambitions.
This power dynamic, and the obvious gulf in quality between the two sides, should make for a truly enthralling clash between two teams fighting for wildly different goals at the opposite ends of the table.
Sean Dyche will likely already have his game plan sorted for the match, but one pundit has now sought to offer the Toffees some additional advice on how they could knock the Reds out of their rhythm and cause a shock tonight.
How Everton can unsettle Liverpool tonight
Acting as a pundit with NBC Sports, Robbie Earle joined Tim Howard for their Premier League coverage ahead of an interesting round of fixtures.
In clashes that could have huge repercussions at both ends of the table, unsurprisingly the Merseyside derby has dominated the coverage.
And whilst the former Everton goalkeeper outlined some cautious optimism, Earle was far more cutthroat in his analysis.
However, he too detailed one plan of action that Sean Dyche might employ to unsettle the Reds. When asked if the form book might go out the window, he noted: ‘No, because this is Liverpool going for a title with Jurgen Klopp.
‘Just look at the goals scored. Everton have scored 34 goals, Liverpool have scored 77. That tells you everything.
‘If this game goes to anything like form, Liverpool will win.
‘What I will say is, first 20 minutes of the game, if Everton can set a tempo that changes a rhythm and then puts Liverpool out of their stride. If after 15 or 20 minutes Liverpool are starting to boss the game, I’m telling you, Liverpool get all three points.’
Sean Dyche deserves credit for this season
Although some fans had started to turn on Dyche for his turgid style of play and the lack of results they were picking up, two wins from their last three games now have them in a position of strength once again.
And, were it not for the additional eight points they have been deducted this season, relegation would not even be a possibility.
The 52-year-old has worked wonders with a squad lacking quality and confidence, navigating them through a campaign laden with takeover turmoil and PSR problems.
Should he achieve safety in the coming weeks, it will be a good job well done, regardless of the Premier League winless run they endured from December to earlier this month.
Hopefully, after this torrid term, next season can prove to be a more profitable and stable one for the players and the fans.