A goalless Merseyside derby with Mohamed Salah out of Liverpool’s squad

With Liverpool’s midfield potentially missing some of their creative players, this could be the ideal match for him to impress on a big stage this season after a series of impressive displays in the previous campaign. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about that”.

Wijnaldum went on to credit the importance of winning a derby but hailed the games against Manchester United slightly more important.

“If I think after the last game, we have to do this or that then we will do it, but it is never anything to do with the next game”.

“We would like to beat them, we would like Spurs to beat them next week, we would like them to be champions as late as possible”. It was maybe the most powerful, the most high-energy, the most lively first-half yet so far, but it was not the best football we’ve ever played.

Everton and Liverpools starting XIs have been announced ahead of their 12.30pm derby day kick off at Goodison Park.

On Mohamed Salah’s fitness and whether he’ll be ready for Tuesday’s trip to Manchester City… “It’ll be interesting to see his selection but it’s all about us as well”.

Despite a late rally in which Seamus Coleman and substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin could have snatched victory, the Toffees’ seven-and-a-half-year wait for a derby win was extended to 17 matches. Enjoy the game. We desperately need a calm head and quality in these games.

For Everton, Eliaquim Mangala, Gylfi Sigurdsson and James McCarthy are all long-term absentees, while Idrissa Gueye is likely to miss out. I was really happy with that in the first half, but still they had Bolasie with a fantastic [shot] and Loris an even more fantastic save.

“(Rooney) can come and say to me whatever he likes in the office, that’s not a problem if he’s disappointed, but it’s done in the four walls between me and him.

“I’d hope Klopp will still go as strong as he can as Everton will be up for this”.