Steven Gerrard once revealed why he preferred Goodison Park over Anfield for Liverpool vs Everton
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Steven Gerrard was a fixture of Liverpool vs Everton derbies throughout his 17 years at the club.
The fixture is one that those on both sides of Merseyside look forward to but also dread because of the way it divides families and friends alike.
It will be the third Merseyside Derby of Arne Slot’s tenure at the club, with a win and a draw in his first experiences of the fixture, including the 2-2 draw away from home, which was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
In recent years, the Toffees have had some success, winning two in the past five years, but they are still trounced by the number of victories for the Reds in this fixture overall.
Gerrard himself has had a great record in this game, being the fourth-highest goalscorer in the tie with 10 goals, even if Mohamed Salah is beginning to creep up on his tally.
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
The Scouser was made for Derby Day, growing up in the city and coming through the youth ranks of Liverpool, he understood the importance of the game like no one else in a red shirt.
So it is no surprise that he was a big fan of playing in these games during his career but it may shock some to find out he preferred to play away from Anfield for the game.
During an interview with Sky Sports 11 years ago, the No.
8 explained why he liked going across to Goodison Park to take part in the derby.
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He said: “It is my favourite game of the season.
I actually enjoy the Goodison Derby more than the Anfield one just because I feel the hate, so that I can feel the bitterness, and for me, if I have to pick one place where I could pick a win, it certainly would be Goodison.
“But on the other foot, losing there is a nightmare, it’s probably one of the worst feelings you can experience as a player, so it just makes it that extra bit special all of these games.”
A loss or a draw at the ground can be one of the worst experiences, with the fans from the blue side enjoying taking their celebrations from the stands to the pitch.
He played against Everton 33 times in his career, with 17 wins against his rivals from the other side of Stanley Park.
With only four losses to his name and 10 draws, the latter is no surprise, given how often that result seems to occur in this fixture, unless it is a Liverpool victory.
His last home derby came in a 1-1 draw in his final season at the club, scoring first, but Phil Jagielka cancelled out his aim of a final home derby win.
Gerrard will surely be hoping for a victory when his boyhood club hosts the Blues for the early kick-off in a game where supporters will be demanding and imploring their side to put on a statement performance.