The truth behind the derby

Sportsmail sits down with Liverpool legends Phil Thompson and Alan Kennedy and Everton favourites Howard Kendall and Graeme Sharp at Jamie Carragher's Cafe Sports England to discuss one of the fiercest rivalries in football...

What are your best or worst memories of the Merseyside derby?

HOWARD KENDALL: The best was scoring the winning goal at the Gwladys Street end after I'd joined the club in 1967. It bobbled in the far corner but that's when you felt accepted by Evertonians. Everybody had thought I was going to sign for Liverpool when I left Preston. I learned later that Bill Shankly had written a letter of resignation because they hadn't signed Howard Kendall. It's the biggest compliment of my life.

The worst memory was the 1986 FA Cup Final at Wembley and having to come back into Liverpool on the open-top bus. It was all organised before, winners in front and the losers behind. Peter Reid wouldn't go on it.

GRAEME SHARP: We didn't go up top, everybody was downstairs having a beer. We came along Queens Drive. I was desperate for the loo and got off and asked a woman if I could use her toilet. She said, 'yeah, no problem, come in'. About three or four of the other lads followed behind. It was at the top of the stairs but when I came down the husband was going mad because he was a Red. He was shouting 'get out of the house!'.

PHIL THOMPSON: I did the same after the 1981 European Cup Final. My missus needed the toilet but when we came out of the house, the bus was miles away. I stood in the road and flagged down an ice cream van. The door was shut so we had to climb through the hatch.

ALAN KENNEDY: The worst derby for me was Andy King's winner in 1978, a fantastic strike from 25 yards. I think Terry McDermott was closest to him and shouted, 'Oi, I dare you, just hit it.' And he did. Everton fans were absolutely ecstatic. It meant so much to them, even though we won the league. You don't enjoy them as players. I was up against Trevor Steven who was a really good player. But it was nice that we used to go in the same lounge afterwards and have a pint.

THOMPSON: That's the nearest you got to Trevor!

SHARP: My best memory was scoring the winner at Anfield in 1984 because we hadn't won there for 14 years. We'd trained with these Tango balls the week before and we knew if you caught them right they'd fly. It bounced up and I thought 'why not?' The worst was losing 5-0 at home in 1982. Glenn Keeley got sent off early on and it was a nightmare.

KENNEDY: Sharpie had five touches and they were all kick-offs!

KENDALL: I'd signed Keeley on a month's loan and he'd only been with us a couple of days. I went in afterwards and said: 'Your loan's finished!'

Is it ridiculous to question Roy Hodgson's future so early on?

THOMPSON: I'd have been happy with Kenny Dalglish if that's where you're going, but I was equally happy with Roy. We needed a stable figure and a British figure and Roy ticked a lot of the boxes. We'd lost our Britishness and identity. It wasn't just the manager who was Spanish, we had a Spanish coaching and medical staff and three academy coaches. We had a lot of French speaking players under Gerard Houllier and myself but the ethos of the club was changing under Benitez and it was important we went back. People are after Roy Hodgson after seven games but he needs to be given time.

SHARP: Roy was fantastic at Fulham. He's got a difficult job but who else would have got it? He was a good appointment.

KENNEDY: It was certainly a surprise for me that he was interviewed and got the job. I thought of Jose Mourinho and Martin O'Neill. I've always admired Roy for what he's done and what he stands for. He's the right man for the job and he needs a bit more time.

KENDALL: It isn't fair. Roy is an FA man, he does everything spot-on. The Liverpool fans wanted another Shankly. You'd never replace Shankly. Never. One of the loveliest things that happened to me at Everton was that Shanks would come to our training ground in the morning for a cup of tea or coffee because Bob Paisley had told the Liverpool players there was only one boss now, and he was right. The training staff used to wait for him.

SHARP: I was in the treatment room one day and Shanks popped his head around the door. 'What's up with you son?' I was in awe. I told him I just had a groin strain. 'Aye, you'll be right,' he said and went.

THOMPSON: It's all right him coming into your treatment room, because he never came into ours! He blanked us when we were in there because we couldn't play and that was the difference. He'd pop his head in and say hello to the physios and ignore four of us lying on the beds.

Did you think you'd see a Merseyside derby seven games into the season where Liverpool and Everton would start third and fourth from bottom in the table?

KENNEDY: The start of the season has been unprecedented. I watched the game against Blackpool and that wasn't the Liverpool I've seen over the years. I was hurting.

THOMPSON: There is a different pressure on this derby which is something we've never seen before. I've had Evertonians saying to me, 'oh you're going down'. And I'm thinking: 'hold on a minute, you're on the same points as us and you were down at the bottom last week!' I know people say it's not down to the problems off the pitch but we're in extraordinary times at Liverpool - demonstrations and banners and everything, even during the games, and that's taken everybody's focus.

KENDALL: They're professionals - deary me! Get out there and play! What happens outside doesn't matter. The problem is that the manager doesn't know his best team and I'm a believer of that. If they're available, they play in every game. Roy Hodgson has signed six new ones. Have they made an impact? It's a little bit different signing players for Fulham than for Liverpool. But, I'll tell you something, it's far worse going into the last game if you're in the bottom three, which I had to do with Everton.

SHARP: It wasn't a great time to inherit Liverpool. Rafa Benitez was successful in winning the Champions League and getting to the final again, but last season I thought it was the poorest Liverpool squad since I came down to play for Everton. I think the position is false for both teams. Everton probably have the better players going into this derby and that's something you would never, ever associate with Liverpool.

Which of their players would get in the Everton team?

KENDALL: Torres and Gerrard.

SHARP: And the goalkeeper maybe.

THOMPSON: Maybe?

KENDALL: I think Tim Howard's done a great job. If I was really pushing it, I'd go Torres - fit and mentally right - Gerrard and Pepe Reina.

THOMPSON: The rest of them would all be Everton players? You're dreaming.

KENDALL: We'll dream on Sunday.

Both teams are only five points off the European places. Is it ludicrous to be talking about a survival battle?

THOMPSON: Absolutely. It's after only seven games. If it was still like this at Christmas then it would take on a different perspective. It's been a difficult start for Liverpool. In the first half-dozen games they played Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Birmingham, who hadn't been beaten for 17 games at home. The results impacted on the players' confidence and you saw what happened at Sunderland and Blackpool.

SHARP: No chance. Both teams will rise without a shadow of a doubt. They've got too much quality. At the beginning of the season Everton were talking about the top four. David Moyes said we had the best squad we'd had for many a year and everybody got caught up in it, maybe the players themselves. Everton's only problem is scoring goals. The onus falls on Tim Cahill.

KENDALL: I think strikers need to work in pairs. He could get away with Cahill playing slightly wider and going with two strikers. That would be worth a little shout. I'd try that ... but only on the training ground.

SHARP: Yeah, not before the derby!

KENNEDY: Liverpool have got problems scoring goals as well. If Torres doesn't do it, who will?

The problems at Liverpool have revived talk of a stadium share. Is it feasible?

KENDALL: I'd go for it. Liverpool are not in a situation where they need a new stadium, Everton are.

THOMPSON: No way. Proper Evertonians do not want a shared stadium and I totally agree.

SHARP: Phil, if that's all it needs for your club to move forward you have to bite the bullet. It will be interesting to see the new owners' plans.

KENNEDY: How are Liverpool going to compete with Manchester United? They've got 76,000 and we've got 45,000. We have to extend or get a new stadium, simple as that. I wouldn't mind sharing.

THOMPSON: This is why they have to be careful. They don't want to make promises they're not going to keep after what's gone on. With respect to the other three lads, they weren't Liverpool or Everton fans as kids. I've seen the history of my football club over generations. That's bred into me and so many people I know and most of them do not want a shared stadium.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.