Rodgers laments injury list for high-stakes derby

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits weakened teams on both sides may well make it difficult for the 222nd Merseyside derby to match this season’s earlier encounter at Goodison Park.

The Reds are missing defenders Daniel Agger, Mamadou Sakho, Glen Johnson, Jose Enrique and midfielder Lucas Leiva while Everton could have up to nine players missing at Anfield tonight.

Rodgers is hopeful Joe Allen will be sufficiently recovered from a hamstring problem to bolster the midfield but if they are to reproduce another exciting 3-3 draw like the one back in November it may be as a result of mistakes from patched-up teams.