Jamie Carragher's revenge mission

By Mark Ogden
20/10/2007

There is nothing quite like a Merseyside derby to bring out the sense of mischief in Rafael Benitez.
By describing Liverpool's age-old rivals, Everton, as a 'small club' following the most recent meeting between the teams, when Everton emerged from Anfield with a 0-0 draw in February, the Liverpool manager stirred up a hornets' nest that provoked a livelier dispute between neighbours than anything Brookside could ever muster.
The red half of the city delighted in hearing their Spanish manager belittling the club from the other side of Stanley Park, but Benitez can expect to reap the whirlwind when he sets foot in the visitors' dugout this lunchtime. Evertonians are still furious at the perceived slight on their club, so heaven knows what they will make of Benitez's latest observation of Liverpudlian rivalry ahead of today's 206th Merseyside derby.
"I've been here three years, so I know how important this game is." Benitez insisted. "It's a very important three points but, at the end of the day, if you asked me whether I preferred to lose this game and win the Premier League, then I'd say yes, I'd prefer to win the Premier League and lose this game. I'm sure if you asked our supporters, they would all say the same."
Perhaps not. Benitez may be willing to take a straw poll of Kopites on whether they would happily pass up local bragging rights for any prize, but he could go straight to Jamie Carragher and discover that any Premier League title would be tainted by the knowledge that points had been lost to Everton.
Carragher, one of two Scousers in the Liverpool side, along with the captain Steven Gerrard, is still scarred by his performance in last season's 3-0 defeat at Goodison, when Andrew Johnson's pace exposed his lack of fitness following a brief injury lay-off. Carragher has never required a good reason to beat Everton, having grown-up as a Liverpool supporter, but revenge is something at the forefront of his mind ahead of today's game.
He said: "We definitely owe Everton one after last year. The team, the club and me personally. I was very poor in the Goodison derby last year and it's probably as low as I've ever felt in football after that game.
"I've lost in a couple of cup finals and had other ups and downs, but last season against Everton was probably as low as I've ever felt because of the score, because I made a big mistake for one of the goals and because I played poorly.
"I'd been injured and came back too early. I probably let the manager and the players down because I wasn't ready to play in a game of that magnitude. Maybe I was a bit selfish. I came into it cold and it showed, but it's something I'll never do again."
With Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso proving their fitness in training after thigh and foot injuries respectively, Benitez has a strong hand to play as Liverpool aim to rediscover their early-season form and defeat their local rivals.
Carragher added: "Both teams will be looking at this fixture as a game which can really give their season a lift. It could kick-start the season.
"We know we are going to come under pressure and we have to stand up to it. Everton always raise their game, but we're ready."
With Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso proving their fitness in training after thigh and foot injuries respectively, Benitez has a strong hand to play as Liverpool aim to rediscover their early-season form and defeat their local rivals.

Last five derbies at Goodison:
Sept 9, 2006 – Premiership: Everton 3 (Cahill, Johnson 2), Liverpool 0.
Dec 28, 2005 – Premiership: Everton 1 (Beattie), Liverpool 3 (Crouch, Gerrard, Cisse).
Dec 11, 2004 – Premiership: Everton 1 (Carsley), Liverpool 0.
Aug 30, 2003 – Premiership: Everton 0, Liverpool 3 (Owen 2, Kewell).
Apr 19, 2003 – Premiership: Everton 1 (Unsworth (pen)), Liverpool 2 (Owen, Murphy).