Everton international ambassador Steven Pienaar believes Everton fans have a major part to play in tomorrow’s Merseyside Derby clash with Liverpool.
The Toffees will be looking for their first derby win in eight years, having last won in October 2010 where goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta were enough to beat the Reds at Goodison Park.
Tomorrow’s game will be the 231st edition of the historic fixture, and Blues boss Sam Allardyce will be hoping to end a painfully long run of 2,730 days without victory.
Former Blues winger Pienaar doesn’t think the Everton squad will need any additional motivation ahead of the game, and has called on fans to recreate the bear-pit atmosphere that Goodison has become famed for over the years.
Talking to the Liverpool Echo, Pienaar said;
We have to do to Liverpool what they did to Manchester City.
We’re the home team, we have to be on the front foot. We don’t need to be daft and go there and be open, but we have to go with a plan. We have to do what Liverpool did to City.
The fans always play a big part. When the supporters have that positive energy, it always transfers on to the players, so they have a big part to play.
At the end of the day, the supporters are not going to play, the players have to perform. So I hope we get into their faces, get stuck in and make it a rough game.
It is a derby game after all and it is an important game for the club and the supporters.
These are the games where you don’t need any extra motivation. It’s not about playing nice football, it’s more about playing with your heart and leaving it on the field.
While many Evertonians are claiming to be indifferent about tomorrow’s result, the game could certainly represent one of the better chances Everton will have in recent years, with Klopp sure to weaken his side ahead of an important reverse Champions League fixture against Manchester City on Tuesday.
The Toffees have also been offered a personnel boost with Idrissa Gueye passed fit, while they have also been offered a boost by Liverpool’s misfortune, with Emre Can out for the season and Mohamed Salah likely to be rested after recieving a knock against City on Wednesday.
Pienaar, who made over 200 appearances for the Blues across two separate loan spells and two separate permanent spells, says these are the occasions that make him miss playing.
The former South Africa international captain, who hung up his boots earlier this year, said;
These are the game you want to be involved in as a player.
When they told me I was coming up for the game I asked if I needed to bring my boots!
You always want to be involved in the game’s that matter to the people of the city.
It’s bragging rights for the people of the city and I know there are a lot of Evertonians in the city – some more than Liverpool supporters I have to say!
