Liverpool eye Merseyside derby boost after Euro flop

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LONDON: Jurgen Klopp must lift Liverpool’s shattered spirits as the Reds aim to bounce back from their latest European setback in a crucial Merseyside derby against resurgent Everton on Sunday.

Marco Silva takes Everton to Anfield with the blue half of Merseyside looking for their first victory on their hated neighbours’ turf since 1999.

Everton enter the weekend in sixth place in the Premier League, having recorded five victories and just one defeat in their last seven games.

Their optimism stands in contrast to the first real signs of problems in Klopp’s camp this season.

While Liverpool remain unbeaten in the league, and stood two points behind leaders Manchester City ahead of the weekend fixtures, successive away defeats in their Champions League group at Red Star Belgrade and Paris Saint-Germain have raised questions about their trophy-winning potential.

Roberto Firmino was the latest member of last season’s impressive Liverpool forward line to come in for criticism following a 2-1 defeat in Paris on Wednesday which leaves his team facing an anxious final group game against Napoli as they seek to guarantee progress to the knock-out stages.

The Brazilian forward has managed to hit the net only three times in 13 Premier League games to date this season and, in comparison to his 15-last term, Firmino’s productivity has certainly dipped.

Among many factors put forward for Liverpool’s slight drop off in attacking prowess, fatigue seems one of the most obvious, with Klopp adamant that he will maintain strong bids for success in both the Premier and Champions Leagues.

Liverpool have played 18 games in both competitions to date, with Firmino and Mohamed Salah having featured in every one of them. Sadio Mane has missed just one.