Former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness believes that Everton will go into the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Sunday as favourites to win the game.

The Blues welcome in their city rivals a point and four places better off than the Reds in the Premier League table and buoyed further by a superb fightback at West Brom, which saw them recover from two goals down to secure a 3-2 victory on Monday evening.

The Reds also won their last league game 3-2, at home to lowly Aston Villa, but that was their only victory in the last four in the Premier League and, all things considered, Souness believes that it is the hosts who will go into the game holding the upper hand.

He told Sky Sports: “You’ve got a nervous Liverpool team going to Goodison Park to play an Everton side full of belief. For that reason, the home side will start as favourites and Evertonians will be looking forward to this far more than the red part of Liverpool, but remember, derby games are notorious for in-form teams coming unstuck.”

Liverpool will be boosted by having striker Daniel Sturridge back in the fold after he finally overcame his hip injury problems, with the England man rested for the midweek Europa League action to prepare for the derby.

He netted two of the goals in the win over Villa last weekend, while Romelu Lukaku did likewise for the Blues as they fought back at The Hawthorns.

Lukaku is 2.70 to score at any time on Sunday, while Sturridge can be backed at 2.50.