Silva sends message to Everton players ahead of Liverpool showdown
Everton manager Marco Silva has urged his players to embrace the challenge of taking on Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
The Toffees will lock horns with Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.
Everton will head into the derby on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Leicester City away from home at the King Power Stadium in the league.
The Blues have struggled so far this season, with Silva coming under pressure and speculation rife that he could lose his job.
The Toffees are only two points above the relegation zone, and the fans and the club hierarchy are far from happy.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are going strong in the league and have an eight-point advantage at the top of the table.
Moreover, Everton have not a Merseyside derby away from home since 1999.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are heavy favourites to win against Everton on Wednesday evening, and Silva has urged his players to embrace the challenge and repeat their performance of last season.
“We have to look at the game as a good opportunity and do something the club did not do for 20 years,” Silva told The Telegraph. “OK, it is a tough game. They are in a very, very good moment and maybe they are the toughest opponent we can face.
“You can look at it this way or the other way: it is a good opportunity for us in a special game. I like the special games and my players and our fans have to like the special games too.
“I know the derby record in the past did not give us a good feeling but we have to go there and embrace the challenge, to enjoy it. If you ask me what is the main thing I want, it is for the players to perform like we did there last season.
“We did almost everything good in last season’s game apart from that last minute but we embraced that game and went face-to-face with them. I don’t want to be unfair on anyone but it is possible that was one of the best derbies of the last few seasons and that is the type of performance I want to see from us again.”
READ MORE – Marco Silva has responded to speculation on his future.
