To me he appears less important to the side than a fit and on-form Cahill; and I still feel that Lee Carsley was the key to the Blues’ (relative) success last season.

Bet you’re wishing you’d offered him more than a one-year contract now, Moyesy. But enough of the so-called ‘People’s Club’ – I’ll leave Blue Watch to pick over their problems.

Perhaps no Red divides opinion as much as Dirk Kuyt. The first caller to 6-0-6 on Saturday night, who correctly identified himself as a doom-and- gloom merchant, chose not to revel in our derby delight, but instead to berate Dossena and Kuyt as unworthy of wearing the famous shirt.

Leaving aside for one moment the sheer inanity of ringing a national radio station to say something like this after a result like Saturday’s, to pick on Kuyt after his performance bordered on the bizarre. Yes I know there are plenty of you out there who don’t rate Dirk, and his current Premier League goal drought would give credence to your argument, but his value to the side was there for all to see on Saturday.

He had a hand in both goals (watch him drag Lescott to the near post for the first one); he was always available as an ‘out’ ball for Reina and the defence; and he bottled up Lescott’s dangerous advances down the left-wing.

He’s been at his best in the Champions’ League, and it’ll be no surprise to see him score tonight. Like him or loathe him, he’s worthy of our support.

A QUICK NOD to Jimmy Sirrel, who died last week. I’ll remember him primarily for his classic put-down of all those managers and fans who bemoan their luck following a defeat: “The best team always wins; the rest is just gossip.”

He could have been a Red.