DERBY protocol dictates form books should be hitting the pavement throughout Merseyside this morning. Steven Gerrard, though, would be forgiven for wanting to jettison a record of the entire season so far.

A campaign that started with hopes of another championship challenge has degenerated amid all-too-familiar problems both on and off the field.

For Gerrard, there has been the added frustration of a clutch of niggling injuries that have prevented him from producing his consistent best as Liverpool have stumbled from one setback to another.

However, the fortunes of both player and team may now be on the turn.

Rafael Benitez’s side are enjoying a six-game unbeaten Premier League run, while Gerrard posted a performance in the 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers last Saturday that was enough to prompt Trotters midfielder Fabrice Muamba to declare him the toughest opponent in the top flight.

The Anfield skipper has only recently returned from a hamstring problem having been hampered for much of the previous two months by a groin complaint aggravated while on international duty with England in October.

And while confident his fitness problems are now firmly behind him, Gerrard admits his own desperation to help Liverpool through their difficult autumn perhaps clouded his judgement.

“My fitness is very good now,” he says. “I’ve trained well since I came back from the last injury. I was really happy with my performance against Bolton. I feel as though I can still get better, but going into the derby I’m feeling much better.

“It hasn’t been a case of holding back. I’ve never held back. My problem has been that sometimes I’ve been pushed back too early. I’ve sometimes played games where the manager has wanted me to play, or I’ve wanted to come back.

“I’ve played games this season when I’ve not been fit and carrying niggles. All I want to do is get out there. Maybe that’s a fault of my own, not to be strong enough to say I’ve not been ready.