Jim White questions ‘sensitive subject’ of Everton ‘inferiority complex’ ahead of Liverpool clash, Martin Keown responds
Martin Keown believes Everton should play with their hearts against Liverpool as it was a “leveller” to play a derby in his experience, after Jim White questioned how the club sheds its “inferiority complex”.
The talkSPORT host has questioned live on the station on 20 October “where have you been?” to the Toffees after a record of just one win in 25 against their rivals, noting it was a “sensitive subject” for the Evertonians, with ex-Goodison defender Keown highlighting his own experience in the game.
But after Simon Jordan dismissed the idea of the derby atmosphere helping based on the results in recent years Keown agreed a home win is more likely, but cited wins over Brentford and Brighton as evidence that defeat for Sean Dyche is not assured.
White said: “You look at it and you think, ‘Everton, where have you been in this fixture? Where have you been?’ Liverpool have only lost one of their last 25 games against their great Merseyside rivals, Everton, and it was a 2-0 defeat behind closed doors in February 2021.
“I don’t know how to phrase it Martin, it’s a sensitive subject and Evertonians will be all too aware of it. How do they shift their inferiority complex here?”
Keown responded: “It is something special, particularly when you wear that blue of Everton and you wander into Anfield. The electricity of the game and the atmosphere is quite remarkable…
“For me, I learnt a great lesson because not coming from the area and what a hotbed it was, I found the game a great leveller.
“I’d played against these teams for Brighton and for [Aston] Villa and been thumped, and here we were playing in the Merseyside derby and they were playing not with their heads but their hearts.”
Main weapon
Keown is right that any derby should in theory help Everton perform above the level that they are otherwise producing based on the motivation of a special fixture.
In the past two relegation battles it has often been home wins over the biggest teams in the division that have shown that sort of spirit, but clearly it hasn’t been the case often enough in the derby for more than a decade.
Fans, and Frank Lampard, might argue that it very much was so two seasons ago in a game where controversial refereeing decisions went against Everton and saw him fined for voicing his feelings afterwards.
It was controversial VAR rulings the other way that saw Jurgen Klopp’s men beaten before the international break by Tottenham, so there is likely to be a response to that.
But if there is scope to take advantage of such a set back for the Anfield club then Dyche needs to motivate every player to rise to the occasion.
On paper a win is indeed unlikely, but turning up already accepting that is not an option for this team, especially after a strong win over Bournemouth in their previous game.
In other Everton news, White reacted after Jordan dismissed fears over the club’s future amid the latest developments on the 777 takeover.