Nothing in football creates confidence, belief and cohesion amongst the coaching staff, players and supporters than 3 points against your local rivals.
Although a win for Liverpool, against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon, is unikely to lead to harmony being restored at boardroom level, it will feel like a breath of fresh air for everybody associated with the most decorated English Football Club.
This is a match that in the past has been labelled `The Friendly Derby', where both sets of supporters would travel to the game together and sit next to each other with no segregation.
Come 13.30pm Sunday afternoon however, both sets of players have the chance to climb the Premiership table and leave the other half of the city in the relegation mire.
As Hicks prepares to do battle in High Court with Martin Broughton over the sale of the club, the possible threat of administration looming as well as a 9 point deduction if the club fail to meet the October 15 deadline, by which new owners must be sat in the Anfield offices.
Hodgson will lead his men out into a fierce atmosphere where a win would see them leap frog neighbours Everton and head back over Stanley Park a lot more satisfied than after recent home defeats to League Two minnows Northampton Town and newly promoted Blackpool.
With one win each in the new Premiership season, this is a Merseyside Derby that surely has more signifcance to the red half of the city. In past seasons, Liverpool have been more obsessed with stopping Sir Alex Ferguson`s Manchester United overhaul them in the race for top flight winners medals with the standings at eighteen a piece.
Although the Kopites were singing Kenny Dalglish`s name after the home defeat to Blackpool, Hodgson is an experienced manager who knows that a win against Everton will go some way to getting the fans back on his side.
The likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and misfiring Fernando Torres must stand up and be counted and try to help squeeze every ounce of energy, passion and quality from the rest of the underperforming Reds.
David Moyes may argue the case that his team need the points most to build momentum for an assault on the top half of the table, but most football fans would agree that Everton have the quality to put an unbeaten run together and are usaully slow starters.
No comments:
Post a Comment