Benitez caught in the middle of battle for Merseypride

Benitez enraged Everton after a goalless draw at Anfield in February by referring to them as a small club. This time he is talking up the bigger picture.

The Spaniard said: "I've been here three years so I know how important this game is. But if you said to me whether I preferred to lose this game and win the Premier League then I'd say yes. I'm sure if you asked our supporters they would all say the same.

"It's important to have a big picture. We want to win this game, especially for our fans. But the most important thing is having more points than the team that is second in the table."

Try telling that to Carragher. As a proud Scouser, last season's 3-0 defeat at Goodison hurt him more than most. Worse still, he had a bad game on his return from injury and was at fault for Everton's second goal.

Carragher said: "We definitely owe them one after last year. The team, the club and me personally.

"I've lost in a couple of cup finals, and had other ups and downs, but last season against Everton was probably as low as I've ever felt in football because of the score, because I made a big mistake for one of the goals and because I played poorly.

"I probably let the manager and the players down because I came back too early and wasn't ready for a game of that magnitude.

"Maybe I was a bit selfish because I was that desperate to play in it. I came into it cold and it showed. It's something I'll never do again."

With Liverpool picking up just one win from their last four League games, Benitez knows the positive effect that victory today could have on his team's title challenge.

He did not want to be distracted by discussing his inflammatory remark about 'smaller teams' — a reference to Everton's defensive tactics at Anfield last time out — but it is unlikely the blue half of Merseyside will be quite so ready to put it behind them.

Benitez said: "The reception at Goodison will be similar to other years. They will not be very happy with me but that's football. At the end, the most important thing will happen on the pitch and not on the bench.

"I was talking with Everton manager David Moyes after the game and he knows my idea. I prefer to talk about this game and not the derbies of the past.

"We haven't been playing well in the last few games but a derby is a good game to have when you are in a situation like this. It's a big game to win because of the psychological effect it would have. Everything can change if we win one or two games."

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard admits Benitez's jibe will give them extra motivation to repeat last season's 3-0 win, their biggest in a Merseyside derby for 42 years.

The American said: "When people come out and say that type of thing, it is a backhanded compliment.We know we did a really good job in that game.

"I wouldn't have chosen to come to a small club on loan where I might end up staying if it worked out. We broke the club record for Andy Johnson, and again for Yakubu this summer, which shows the ambition we have to take the next step."