To put it nicely, it has not been a very good season for both the red and blue side of the City so far this season and that is probably being too nice.
Liverpool were a two game swing away from winning a unprecedented quadruple last campaign and even though they were left disappointed the fall off has been astronomical.
20 games in, 29 points and tenth in the table.
A Liverpool side under Jurgen Klopp, you’d mistaken it for his first half a season in charge, but the stark reality is the main core of players that brought the club so much success seem to be fatigued after giving their all for so many years and are now close to the bottom three than they are to the top four.
Everton were a revitalised unit last season under Frank Lampard as he made the fans come together to drag the players over the line to avoid relegation which brought jubilant scenes after the Crystal Palace game.
However in hindsight that may have been part of the problem, just how heavily Lampard relied on the fans as after 20 league games this campaign The Toffees had one singular league win to their name and looked destined for another dire relegation scrap.
So Lampard, a year after getting the job, was shown the exit door and in came Sean Dyche a man who overachieved greatly with Burnley and now he is ready for his first job since he left Turf Moor with his first game against the league leaders proving that more than any press conference could have done.
The players showed that Dyche can get them up for the fight as they defeated Arsenal 1-0 in a fantastic performance so now he will be wanting to upset the odds even more by getting Everton a win at Anfield, something they have only managed once in the past 23 years.
It’ll be one hell of a challenge for Klopp and Dyche who of course have history as they are both fiery managers who love to show their emotion on the touchline which both sets of fans absolutely adore.
For both this could be a much needed catalyst for the rest of the season and a chance to give fans much needed momentum going into a chaotic time of the campaign.
Even though Liverpool are sat in 10th place if they win their games in hand on Newcastle United they’ll go just six points behind the side who occupy the last Champions League place so there is still a glimmer of hope that European qualification is possible.
Whereas for Everton at the moment they are still in the dreaded relegation zone and a win against their bitter rivals would take them out above Leeds United and West Ham.
Hence why it is a must-win for both but in any situation at anytime in any competition the Merseyside derby is a must-win due to how much it means to this place.
Football is like the big brother standing over the City of Liverpool.
Sometimes you hate it but you will never not care about it and it will always be there for you.
These two clubs give us so much joy and ecstasy, on Monday night come 10 o’clock one set of fans will be engulfed in those emotions.
Unless of course it is another bore draw just like earlier on in the season.
It’s the game every red and blue nose hates but simultaneously loves.
Bring it on.
