The Big One

Derby day on Saturday, and already the adrenalin is kicking in. I don't have much time for those who count games against Manchester United and even Chelsea (who?) above these.

The argument often goes that Everton can't be our rivals because rivals would have to be competing with us on level, or near level terms. These people miss the point, wallowing in their semantics: in footballing terms, Everton are our enemies.

There's nothing like a derby. Every pass, every kick, every crunching tackle draws a reaction from the crowd. This is more than winning trophies, for those ninety minutes. For Merseyside Reds, this is bragging rights, not turning up for work on Monday, or turning up to wonder how you're going to gloat when the other side have all stayed at home.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not based on Merseyside, but these are still the ones I look out for first on the fixture list. The passion is addictive.

Everton look to be playing well coming into this one whilst we have perhaps struggled to click into our best form, but the form book is the first thing to go out of the window in the derby. Shortly followed by decorum, sanity, any sense of reality, and the cat if we lose.

On paper, we will be at a slight disadvantage, having more players involved in the international "break", but we have a strong squad and I trust Rafa will pick a team which he thinks can do the job in hand. He likes to pick the locals for these, so expect Warnock, Gerrard and Fowler to feature, as well as Carra if fit.

The key to winning these games will be to compete at 110% in every position on the pitch. If our players can get themselves up for this as much as the fans, our quality should tell. No chance of a clean sheet in these, and expect a flurry of yellow cards to come out, accompanied by at least one red.

I'll be thinking about nothing else but this game all week. The palms are already sweating in anticipation. Can't wait!