Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has revealed that Everton great Duncan Ferguson was the player he most used to fear in the Merseyside derby.
Ferguson enjoyed two spells for the Toffees between 1994-1998 and 2000-2006 and he was well known for his aggressive style of play.
Speaking on an Instagram Live with former Everton midfielder Tim Cahill, Carragher admitted the team would always make a special plan to try to deal with Ferguson's physical threat when they came up against him.
"My most feared derby opponent? I'd probably say Duncan Ferguson," Carragher said. "Especially when I got in the team as a kid. There was a fear and we talked about trying to control him. No doubt.
"My first derby I was up against Duncan. He scored and Paul Ince got the equaliser."
Carragher said the Merseyside derby meant more to him than any other game, and recalled a 3-0 defeat in 2007, adding: "I'd been out injured and I came back for the game. I wasn't missing it.
"It was one of the biggest lessons I learned in football. Whether I was too arrogant or just didn't cope, I don't know.
"Andy Johnson scored two goals. I made a big mistake for one and Pepe Reina made a mistake for the other.
"I had to put up with that everywhere I went. The return game was in February and I don't think I've ever been as up for a game.
"In the first 10 minutes the ball was played down the line to Johnson. I actually controlled it and took it past him, but as the ball came past him I wanted to elbow him.
"That's how it got me. It used to make me so wound up. I was so happy when we won, but so angry when we lost."
