Former Everton and England striker Wayne Rooney says Liverpool’s struggles this season are down to them missing forward players who used to “press you aggressively” and make games difficult for opponents.
Liverpool travel to their Merseyside rivals' Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time on Sunday, hoping to boost their hopes of securing Champions League football for next season while putting a dent in Everton's charge for Europe.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, Rooney said: "I think some of the players they lost, with [Diogo] Jota, it was such a sad loss to everyone," Rooney said. "[Luis] Diaz, even [Darwin] Nunez was a nuisance and he wasn't great. When you go to Anfield, you used to have it with Stevie [Gerrard], with Dirk Kuyt, they used to press you aggressively. I think that's what Nunez and Diaz did. They've lost that a little bit.
"I think Van Dijk needs help as well, where Van Dijk's been the one to help his other centre-backs over his career at Liverpool. It's probably the first time where he's needed help from those around him.
"And then the full-backs changing with Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and [Andy] Robertson not playing. Now all of a sudden he's looking around the whole backline thinking, 'I need some help here'."
Guest on the show, MMA fighter and Liverpool fan Paddy Pimblett was asked how he wants Liverpool to approach the game, he responded: "Go and absolutely slap them. It's Everton, you've got to be up for it."
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