Everton manager Sean Dyche has been speaking ahead of today's historic Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Goodison Park
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Sean Dyche shouts and gestures during Everton's famous Goodison Park derby win over Liverpool last season
Sean Dyche shouts and gestures during Everton's famous Goodison Park derby win over Liverpool last season
(Image: Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Offside via Getty Image)
Sean Dyche will not be changing his approach for an historic Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool despite the emotions that will be inspired by the occasion. The Blues boss, who oversaw the memorable triumph over the Reds at Goodison Park in April, insisted his focus is on consistency as he seeks to build on the pivotal win over Wolves.
Of the meaning of Saturday's match, likely to be the last derby hosted at Goodison, Dyche added of his players: “I shouldn't have to tell them to be up for it should I?”
With emotions set to be running high in the dressing room and the stands on such a poignant afternoon, Dyche was asked whether he would change his preparations.
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He said: "No, because that side of things should take care of itself. They [the players] all know, I don't have to tell them, about the depth and the feeling. Some of these players have been here longer than me so they surely know that part of it.
"So actually we try to stay consistent to what we believe in. And I know I talk about it a lot but I mean it for this particular game. The processes we go through, the way we get ready is how we do it. The emotion comes in just through the natural fervour of the area, the feel, the history, the depth. I shouldn't have to tell them to be up for it should I? So I don't need to. It should be there - hopefully.
"It is more about the construct of the team and I thought we handled that side of things - the emotional feel - very well last season and stuck to the tactical side of things and I think that served us very well. And we are going to have to do a version of that again hopefully, keep the emotions calm and play the game. Play the game and not the occasion they used to say."
The derby comes just days after the confidence-boosting victory over Wolves - a result that provided respite for Dyche and Everton after a tough start to the season. The victory was just the third of the Premier League season for the club but opened a five point gap to the bottom three just as it looked as though the Blues could get dragged beneath the dotted line.
While the 4-0 win has not banished the concerns that existed before the match it has provided a release of pressure that was clear at Finch Farm in the following days.
That result has provided some momentum going into what will be the final Goodison derby - save for a poignant FA Cup draw.
Dyche led Everton to their first home derby win in 14 years earlier this year and said that if he could deliver another one then it would be for the supporters. While he said he took pride in playing a role in such important results, he said his primary focus was on what it means to the fans.
Asked whether he had considered what impact a second home derby win would have on his legacy at the Blues, Dyche said: “If we can do it, it is for [the supporters], not for me. It is a great badge of honour for me as manager, of course, but it is not for me, it is for them - it will be part of their history.
“The fact is they have been coming here for 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 years so it is for them. If we can deliver that then that is fantastic… The meaning to me is still obviously very powerful because I get what it means but I haven't got the depth - I haven't got the whole history - and I've always said that and I think it is fair to do that. It is definitely one for the fans if we can deliver. But I do take pride in my part of it."