LONDON • Jurgen Klopp said his Liverpool side will not need extra motivation ahead of today's Merseyside derby with Everton, in what is a rematch of the Premier League game that effectively derailed their title defence.

The Reds lost centre-back Virgil van Dijk for potentially the rest of the season, while Thiago Alcantara was also sidelined after rash tackles at Goodison Park in October.

The champions host their bitter rivals at Anfield for the first time since that 2-2 draw and Klopp wants his players to respond in the right manner.

"It was an important day for sure. Nothing will be carried over to tomorrow," he told reporters.

"Three weeks later when we got the diagnosis for Virgil - it was good we didn't play Everton again immediately, let me say it like this. We're all human beings and of course it wasn't nice. But that's long gone, we don't think about it any more. It's still a derby and we'll be motivated at the highest level."

Liverpool have dominated this fixture in recent years, with Everton last winning the derby in 2010, and last winning at Anfield in 1999.

But Carlo Ancelotti's seventh-placed side sit three points and one spot behind Liverpool with a game in hand. The Italian is the fifth different Toffees boss that Klopp has faced since he has been Reds manager. And the German acknowledged that Ancelotti has helped Everton close the gap on them.

"It's probably closer than it has been ever before," said Klopp, who has not lost to Everton in 12 games.

Ancelotti has been handed a double boost, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin - Everton's top scorer with 18 goals in all competitions - and Allan both fit again after injuries.

Ancelotti said his side were determined to put an end to the dismal run against their neighbours.

"It's a long time since Everton won a derby but it could be the right time tomorrow," he said.

"To play against Liverpool, we have to compete on the intensity level they use."

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, meanwhile, is looking for more of the same. The Blues have enjoyed five straight league wins under the German.

They visit Southampton today, having conceded just one goal in that spell - the joint-lowest number of goals conceded in a manager's first five games in the Premier League. Jose Mourinho also achieved that at Chelsea and Peter Taylor at Leicester.

The Saints lost their last six top-flight games and will have a hard time breaching Chelsea's backline.

Defender Andreas Christensen revealed how Tuchel has improved Chelsea's defensive solidity.

"If you don't need to play the ball, you don't have to," the Dane told the club's website on the message from Tuchel. "Wait for someone to come and take the ball, don't take last-second decisions, know what you're going to do and make it happen."

REUTERS

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