Jurgen Klopp is prepared for the most intense derby of his Liverpool tenure and admits he would miss the fixture if Everton are relegated from the Premier League.
The Reds host their neighbours on Sunday in the 240th Merseyside derby with both teams in desperate need for points at opposing ends of the table.
Liverpool are a point behind leaders Manchester City in the race for the title while Everton have only a similar gap to the relegation zone, albeit with a game in hand. Indeed, results earlier in the weekend could see the Reds have the chance to move top while the Blues may begin the match in the bottom three.
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Klopp has lost only one of his 14 derbies, which came last season when Everton won at Anfield for the first time in more than 21 years with a 2-0 triumph in front of an empty stadium.
The Goodison derby last season saw Liverpool lose both Thiago Alcantara and Virgil van Dijk to long-term absences as a result of strong Everton challenges, and the Reds boss has again urged for an aggressive but clean encounter.
"Could this be the most intense derby? Maybe yes, but these derbies never lacked intensity, to be honest," said the Reds boss. "I love intensity and physicality in football but there is a rulebook and just make sure we all stick to that and don’t go over the top, these kind of things in the 'good old times'. We suffer from these situations.
"I just want to have a very intense, very physical and real aggressive football game but not more, because we play games after the derby as well, we should not forget, all of us. This game is important for both but I can’t remember when it was not important for us. It was always. I don’t know where we would be without the points against Everton, or we could have been had we won last year which we lost obviously, that would have been very helpful! Maybe a little bit more (intense), but always intense."
Asked if he would miss the derby should Everton go down, Klopp added: "Of course, we are all used to the two clubs in the city and that is how it is. All round the derbies is usually special.
"This week is a bit different because we played United in midweek, but usually the full week before we play, all the talk is about the derby. So yes, of course I would (miss it)."
Klopp is expected to have a near full-strength squad from which to choose, with the only doubt concerning Roberto Firmino after the Brazilian missed Tuesday's 4-0 home thumping of Manchester United with a foot problem.
"Bobby is getting better and better," said the Liverpool manager. speaking on Friday. "It’s just uncomfortable, painful. Today it’s his first day on the pitch, so there’s still two days to go, so maybe.
“If Bobby gives the thumbs-up then he will be involved. And not, then we wait another few days, but then I think after that it should be possible.”
