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I hope they can focus on what they have to do but it is not only tactical, you also have to stand up to those emotions.

"I noticed also in the Plymouth game the intensity of the tackles, how aggressive they were, was a quality of their players, but it was also definitely because of the emotions in the stadium, so we have to be up for that."

Slot said his players need to display "a cool head but not cool legs" in the cauldron of a Goodison derby, having lost there for the first time since 2010 last April.

"Every time you play against a team that wants to fight with you - and that is almost every time we play against any opponent but maybe this one even more - you have to be ready for that," added the Dutchman, whose team could go nine points clear at the top of the table with victory.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold has missed the last two matches with a minor injury but Slot is hopeful he could be available having returned to parts of training.

Fellow defender Joe Gomez is looking at another spell on the sidelines after suffering a recurrence of the hamstring injury which put him out for all of January.

Moyes tells Everton players to embrace 'emotion' of derby

Everton boss David Moyes has urged his players to embrace the emotion and potential explosiveness of the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park as they aim to pull further away from the drop zone.

"I've been involved in some of these Merseyside derbies when it was Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard and it was a case of who is going to kick who first," he said at his press conference.

"I've got big memories from that.

I think this game will be no different.

"We want to put on a great spectacle at Goodison and hopefully a good game."

Everton head into the game 16 places and 30 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League table but Moyes is determined to bridge the gap to their rivals in the years ahead.

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At Goodison Park we can expect to see Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahim Konate, Alisson, Andy Robertson, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones return to the starting line-up at the very least.

"Trent Alexander-Arnold will also train ahead of the game and a decision as to whether or not he's ready to return will be taken from there.

"Joe Gomez is definitely out and there's concern around the fact that he's suffered another hamstring injury in the same leg, having only just returned.

"Aside from that, Slot again has the best part of a fully-fit squad to choose from for the last Goodison Park Merseyside derby.

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That's what the Premier League is, that's why it's such an exciting league and such a beautiful league to work in'."

Analysis: Victory over Liverpool would be up there with Moyes' greatest Goodison nights

Sky Sports News reporter Vinny O'Connor at Finch Farm:

"As well as the emotion swirling around the blue half of Liverpool with Goodison Park preparing to host its last Merseyside derby, David Moyes emphasised the cold hard reality remains that the most important thing is getting points to keep Everton in the Premier League.

"The long-term aim is to get closer to the likes of Liverpool!

The Reds' progression to the Carabao Cup final on Sunday March 16 means their top-flight clash at Aston Villa, originally scheduled for that weekend, has been brought forward to Wednesday February 19.

As a result, Arne Slot's side can now concentrate solely on their league campaign, with Liverpool six points ahead of second-placed Arsenal ahead of Wednesday night's game at Everton in what's the final-ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, their game in hand on the Gunners.

Liverpool then host Wolves at Anfield on Sunday afternoon - live on Sky Sports - before that testing trip to Villa Park a week on Wednesday, followed by another challenging game at champions Man City [Sunday February 23] - live on Sky Sports - and the visit of League Cup finalists Newcastle to Anfield [Wednesday February 26] rounds off this scary-looking run.

By that point, it will be the Reds who would have played a match more than their rivals and with then just ten fixtures left in the season, we will well and truly be into the home straight.

But whether the Premier League ends up on Merseyside, or in north London this season, still may not be known by then if recent title fights are anything to go by, as Slot pointed out in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday's derby.

"This period, five games in 15 days, is what we've done for 15 months now," said the Dutchman
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