Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers knows the importance of tomorrow's derby at Everton.

The Reds travel to Goodison Park on Sunday eager to make it three wins in the Barclays Premier League this season.

Asked whether he had spoken to the likes of Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard ahead of the weekend's clash, Rodgers told liverpoolfc.com: "It's been interesting talking to those guys [about the derby] and it's clearly a wonderful occasion.

"I was involved in the derby between Swansea and Cardiff City and that's a ferocious derby. A real game for the supporters. In Liverpool [the derby] means everything.

"To the people of this city, football is a way of life. For many, many other cities it is a sport or a pastime. At Liverpool, the history and what has been achieved in the past gives us real motivation going forward.

"I've seen the Merseyside derby over the years and there have been some real firecrackers of games. There's a lot of passion and intensity in the games, which there should be because that's what derbies are about. But it's also important to stay calm.

"I've watched many games in many countries and this was a game that I remember from my youth and something I've always watched.

"It's a game that everyone wants to tune-in to. I'm really looking forward to being right in the middle of it, especially with our players because they are really motivated and looking forward to it."