Baros

RAFAEL BENITEZ trusts his players to keep their heads amid the heat of derby battle tomorrow.

Liverpool entertain neighbours Everton in the 207th Merseyside derby with both teams under intense scrutiny following events at Old Trafford last weekend.

Javier Mascherano’s dismissal for dissent and his subsequent reaction to the red card came at a time when the Football Association is cracking down on a perceived lack of respect from players towards officials.

Derby matches have proven increasingly fractious in recent seasons, with there having been 36 yellow cards and seven red cards in seven games since Benitez assumed charge at Anfield in the summer of 2004.

No Premier League fixture has had more sendings-off, while the fact both teams are challenging for fourth place and the final Champions League qualification berth will heighten tensions at Anfield tomorrow.

But with Mascherano the first Liverpool player to be dismissed in the Premier League this season, Benitez believes there was no call to remind his squad of their responsibilities.

And the Spaniard has reminded Liverpool to play with their hearts and heads as they aim to claim only a sixth league double over Everton in 35 years.

“I haven’t felt the need to speak to the players,” said Benitez of the Mascherano incident. “You can see our record during the season. We didn’t have any problems and you could see that was not the case with some other sides. I don’t think we will have problems in the future in terms of confrontation of anything.

“For the four years I have been in charge we haven’t had problems with the referees. Sunday is a derby and people will be more excited but the players have experience.”

Benitez added: “People talk about the number of yellow and red cards in the derby but I think that the players know how to do things. They know they must fight, challenge and tackle but try to do things properly. I don’t think it’s a big problem.

“We just have to approach the game in the same way as the other games and try to play with the heart and also the head.

“I will not say too much. We say before all the games, try and do the right things, watch the tackles, don’t have problems with the referees. Talking with referees in England is common, but just don’t have a problem with them.

“I trust them not to overstep the mark. We will have control. Hopefully, I will not see problems during the derby.”

Liverpool would open up a five-point gap on Everton in the battle for fourth with victory tomorrow afternoon with just six games of the season remaining.

But Benitez believes the game will not prove decisive.

“It is important for us to win because we will be five points ahead, but we have really difficult games between now and the end of the season,” said the Anfield manager. “We need to keep winning to be sure we will be in the top four. I don’t think we can finish Everton off if we were to win. We would need to win more games.

“If you cannot win – and I have confidence that we can – then you know it will be more difficult but you have to keep working hard.”

With Mascherano suspended, Lucas will step into midfield should Benitez persist with the 4-2-3-1 formation favoured during the past six weeks.

Yossi Benayoun, Jermaine Pennant and Sami Hyypia are vying for a recall while a change in formation could open the way for Peter Crouch to return in attack. However, Daniel Agger (foot) and Harry Kewell (groin) are out.

The boardroom uncertainty at Liverpool was apparent again yesterday with co-owner George Gillett admitting his partnership with Tom Hicks has become “unworkable”.

But Benitez insisted: “I am concentrating on the game. I don’t think it would affect the dressing room. Today is Friday and the game is on Sunday so I don’t think the players will have a problem concentrating. If we win everyone will be happy.

“I haven’t spoken to them (Gillett) so I don’t know exactly what he said. I am just thinking about Everton.”