Liverpool make the short trip across Stanley Park to face their neighbours on Sunday, kick-off at 13:30 hours (GMT). The clash is a vital one for both clubs, as Everton have won just one of their last 10 games in all competitions, meanwhile the Reds will be looking to bounce back from the midweek disappointment in the Champions League.

Ahead of the Merseyside derby Manager Rafa Benitez spoke Liverpoolfc.tv: “We will check Torres tomorrow (Saturday). He’s training well, he’s been with the physios and we’ll check after the training session.”

The striker is nearing full fitness, and Fernando Torres confirmed that both he and the club are going to wait until he is fully fit before he makes his comeback. “The injury is improving well, but I won’t be back until we are all totally sure that I have recovered.”

Liverpool go into the clash in seventh, five points adrift of Tottenham who lie fourth, and five points ahead of neighbours Everton who are fifteenth, and who have not won since the start of October.

The two clubs have met 211 times in all competitions with Liverpool collecting 82 wins to Everton’s 65, with a further 64 games ending in a draw.

The Reds have an excellent record at Goodison Park in recent seasons, with seven wins in their last nine visits. Everton have failed to beat Liverpool in the last five league meetings, their last win a 3-0 victory in 2006. Last year however the Toffees knocked their rivals out of the FA Cup. Gosling settled the fourth-round replay with the winning goal with just two minutes of extra-time remaining.

Fernando Torres was the local hero last year at Goodison Park grabbing both the goals in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory. The Spaniard broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, volleying a Robbie Keane cross past Tim Howard in the Everton goal. The forward doubled Liverpool’s lead three minutes later, crashing home a loose ball in the box.

The return to action of Liverpool’s top scorer would be excellent news for the Reds who enter a very busy period of games. The Anfield club have eight matches in the space of a month, seven in the Premier League plus a Champions League match at home to Fiorentina.