THEIR objectives may be different but Jamie Carragher knows all too well that when Liverpool and Everton meet at Anfield tonight there will be an identical will to win.
In last season's corresponding fixture, the Mersey rivals faced off with a place in the Premier League top four at stake and it was the Red side of Stanley Park which ended up celebrating a crucial win which put them firmly on the road to a Champions League slot.
This time around, Liverpool are aiming even higher with the Premier League title itself now a realistic target while Everton are again looking to secure the kind of result which would put them right in the mix for a top four finish.
Carragher believes the divergent objectives of the Merseyside giants means the 209th derby is likely to be as keenly contested as any which have preceded it, and he also reckons Everton's recent resurgent form makes them dangerous opponents.
"It's just as important as ever," he said.
"We had one last season which was probably important for different reasons with us and Everton both going for the top four.
"We managed to win that 1-0 and I think this time Everton have still got that objective, whereas we're maybe looking to push on a little bit more than that.
"They didn't make the best of starts to this season but they've come through really strongly since then and they're probably the form team in the league at the moment.
"As I say, we're looking for bigger and better things than the top four this season and hopefully we can win our place back at the top of the league."
If that is to happen then Liverpool know that they must defeat their neighbours with Manchester United a point ahead of them at the Premier League summit with a slightly superior goal difference.
As ever, this is much easier said than done though, especially with Everton being in such good form of late as Carragher has quite rightly pointed out.
In keeping with his all consuming desire to win every game he takes part in, the 30-year-old defender will be one of the most fierce competitors on the pitch at Anfield tonight. Read more....
