my liverpool fc

This is one of the biggest derby matches in world football... and yet this week it's not the game that people are interested in.

Unless you're a Liverpool fan or an Everton fan, this isn't the match you're looking forward to on Sunday. Everybody else is talking about Arsenal v Chelsea because that's a game between two teams that can win the league.

Benitez & Moyes: troubled times

It doesn't matter if you support Halifax, Crewe, Carlisle... everyone's eyes will be on the Emirates Stadium at 4pm, but this game is meaningless if you don't live on Merseyside. People are probably more interested in Barcelona v Real Madrid than this - and that's a real shame.

It's unbelievable what has happened to Liverpool and Everton so far this season. We like messing about with Thommo and having a few laughs at his expense on Soccer Saturday, but it's getting sad now.

When I was a kid Liverpool were the best of the best and they've always been a massive club, but they're drifting away this season. When Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard don't play they simply don't look like winning football matches.

They've lost five Premier League games so far this season and they're out of the Champions League. That's not a blip, they're just not good enough.

Chelsea made six changes in the Champions League on Wednesday and looked like world beaters; the team was phenomenal. Liverpool just don't have the squad to do that.

The pressure is now even greater on them now than it usually is. Usually they've got the Champions League to fall back on if they underperform between December and February - but that ain't the case this season.

If they lose to Everton, I'm struggling to see them finish in the top four. That would be six defeats and nobody has lost more than six games and finished in the top four in the last two seasons.

Different

Everton have got injuries too but it's different with them. Liverpool are still reliant on Gerrard and Torres, but Everton haven't got as much money to spend.

When three of their best five players - Phil Jagielka, Phil Neville and Mikel Arteta - are out then of course they are going to struggle. We've seen Manchester United struggle when Wayne Rooney is out, we've seen Arsenal lose when Robin van Persie is out... so what hope have Everton got when three of their best players are missing?

I feel for David Moyes because apart from the Big Four, any team would struggle with that sort of injury list. If those players were fit they'd easily finish in the top half, but when you get on a bad run you can easily get caught up in the scrap.

I don't see Everton going down, there's no chance of that happening, but I can't see them getting into Europe from this position. Tottenham, Aston Villa and Man City are all moving forward and with these injury problems, Everton haven't been able to do the same.

A win on Sunday would be huge for both teams. It would soften the blow for Liverpool and it would make a massive difference to Everton's season.

Unfortunately I think this is one of those games where neither can afford to lose.