Jurgen Klopp thinks Liverpool are heading in 'right direction' ahead of Merseyside derby

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes the 242nd Merseyside derby is an opportunity for his underperforming players to produce a reaction and prove how "special" the club are.

Coming off the back of back-to-back defeats to Brighton (in the FA Cup) and Wolves, and with just one victory in 2023, the visit of an Everton side boosted by the arrival of new manager Sean Dyche and a win over Premier League leaders Arsenal is being viewed as either coming at the worst possible time or being the best opposition to get the Reds going again.

Klopp is in the latter camp but he knows for all the positivity shown in training this week what matters is what happens on the pitch at Anfield on Monday.

"All the signs are there, but when I say that now, I know people will sit at home, watch this and say, 'Yeah, but show it on Monday'," he said.

"We see it exactly the same – we have to show it on Monday. Training was so far really good and will be, everything is in the right direction. That’s true.

"Aggression is there, determination is there, readiness is there, concentration is there, focus is there, intensity is there.

"Intensity is always an important part of the game and we never went into a derby saying ‘It’s the derby, I have nothing to say, go for it’.

"We are fighting to change the situation in a better direction"

"After the game we played against Wolves we have to show a reaction again and I know our people want to see that. I want to see that, we have to show that.

"This is not a time we wanted to have or a time we are happy to be in but I think it is a time where we can show if you want to show that the club is really special.

"The boys delivered a lot of great moments in the last few years but in the moment it is not, for different