Arne Slot says Liverpool ready for best ever Merseyside derby atmosphere | OneFootball

A final derby at Goodison Park will have a big say on the title race

Arne Slot says his Liverpool side are ready for a “battle” against Everton and the best atmosphere ever experienced at a Merseyside derby.

Slot is expecting that to feed into the atmosphere, with David Moyes determined Everton sign off with a high.

The clash is also a huge encounter for Liverpool in the title race. Slot’s side are currently six points clear of Arsenal, who are second in the Premier League, and this Merseyside derby is their game in hand.

“I think it is an extra reason why the atmosphere will probably be even better than all the occasions before,” said Slot.

“I haven’t been to [a Merseyside derby], but people tell me at Goodison Park, as at Anfield, it’s always a fantastic atmosphere. Home supporters are there to support their team. The away fans are mostly loud as well.

“So, it’s probably going to be a fantastic atmosphere and that’s never easy to play against, because every single time they cross the halfway line, or they get a corner kick, or whatever happens, the fans will cheer for that.

“Then you have to be mentally really strong as an away team to resist all that and you still have to be focused on what you have to do - defending the corner kick, defending the set-piece and, when you have the ball, be as calm as you can in this fantastic atmosphere.

“But it is not the first time for these players that they are playing in atmospheres like this, so I hope that they can focus on what they have to do.

“But it is not only tactical, you have to also stand up to those emotions because I have noticed that also in the Plymouth game, the intensity of the tackles, how aggressive they were, that was the quality of their players but it was definitely also because of the emotions in the stadium.

“So, we have to be up for that. I have seen the game of last season, for example, and I think we were quite ready, because after 10 minutes the referee blew his whistle 11 times. 10 times in favour of Everton.

“So the Liverpool players were ready to compete, but every time they touched them it was a free-kick.

“I assume our players are ready for another battle tomorrow, for the simple reason they have been ready for the whole season - and many of them are experienced for this time.”