When Fernando Torres does make his return, Liverpool will be in a position to strike at the pretenders to their throne.

The other sides have all been improving but they will all struggle with the weight of expectation as the pressure builds.

Liverpool have been there before and, as they showed on Sunday, they are ready to fight it out.

Everton can also be encouraged by their performance. Bilyaletdinov should have scored in the first half and then Marouane Fellaini would have equalised if it wasn’t for Pepe Reina’s miraculous save.

At the moment the luck just isn’t going for them, but they didn’t look like a side who had conceded six goals in a week and had been humbled by Hull days earlier.

They are still struggling for results but it was a performance of promise rather than desperation.

And one that they can build on when they welcome Tottenham to Goodison Park this weekend.

But the players need to tune in to the message their manager sent out last week about walking to the ground with the punters to appreciate how they are feeling.

They need to stop thinking they can coast through games just because there are a few out injured.

Tottenham could be there for the taking if they go for it – and with Goodison rocking once again, they need to take the best bits form the derby and throw them at Spurs from the off.

Mark Lawrenson was talking to NICK SMITH