Charlie Malam: Normally, the Merseyside Derby away at Goodison Park is a fixture that is greeted with immense excitement, tangled with some slight nerves.
Never before, have I ever felt this pessimistic going into a game against Everton - even though I generally tend to take the side of negativity.
Brendan Rodgers, it seems, is treading the thinnest of ice going into this game - one which could decide his reign altogether. Win, and there's a good chance he could be afford some more time.
Lose, or even more so, lose emphatically and get outperformed - and the critics will have a field day. Especially due to the fact he has banked on his side producing the goods after opting to play an under-strength team in the Europa League again on Thursday night.
That in mind, starting in goal, there's only one choice. Despite how unconvincing Simon Mignolet can be, he is also capable of producing excellent saves which can help to win games - which is why his inconsistency is incredibly frustrating.
Ahead of him, the back-three seems the best option on paper, but I myself would instead return to a flat back four. This brings positives and negatives with it.
The wing-back system seemed to have got the better out of Martin Skrtel, who lacks leadership and the nous to command a back-four, as well as Alberto Moreno - who could get forward and play more of a role as a left-sided wing-back.
However, it was detrimental to the likes of Nathaniel Clyne - who is naturally more of a defensive right-back, whilst Emre Can just seems like he wants to be in midfield - despite the fact that he does look strangely comfortable as a defender.
That said, I'm prepared to gamble on the fact that the positives of returning to a back-four - putting Clyne in a more familiar role and playing Can in midfield, will outweigh the negatives.
My back-four, then, would be Clyne on the right and Moreno on the left - with Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho in the centre. Though this relies on the Spaniard producing a more rounded performance on the left, and the two centre-backs organising themselves as a pairing, it is probably the best way to deal with Everton's powerful forward line.
That brings us to midfield, where I would go for a midfield four set up in a diamond system. At the base, Lucas Leiva would be my pick. He proved how influential he can be against Aston Villa, adding experience and stability late on as the Reds preserved a vital victory.
Ahead of him, in the two sides of the diamond, Emre Can and James Milner would be my choices - with Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino (who I'd usually put at the tip of a diamond) out through injuries.
The German has yet to really determine where his future should lie in Rodgers' side, but with the midfield battle so important in games such as these, should be positioned there - rather than at the back where, quite simply, I think he'd come off worse against the likes of Romelu Lukaku.
Milner, meanwhile, will captain the side and desperately needs to back up his improved display last weekend up with a display across Stanley Park.
Furthest forward, the inclusion of Philippe Coutinho needs no explanation, but I'll give you lucky people one anyway. He's our best player and the no.10 position is where he is most deadly, and with Daniel Sturridge - a player he seems to have an excellent connection with - ahead of him, the two will be crucial to our hopes of a result.
Alongside the fit-again Sturridge, Danny Ings has made his mark in recent weeks and deservedly so. He's almost like a younger English Dirk Kuyt, in that the Kop have taken him to heart for his endeavour and effort, but he's also very good in front of goal too - and he has all the makings of a signing who could be a real fan favourite if he can keep his current performance levels up.
So, there we have it. Our best current team on paper for a fixture which can be understated in terms of magnitude and importance. It's either going to be a massively welcome morale boost for everyone involved with the club, or it'll be the latest reason on an ever-growing list of things to moan about. Let's hope it's more the former.
Charlie's XI to face Everton (4-1-2-1-2): Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno; Lucas; Can, Milner; Coutinho; Sturridge, Ings.
Ollie Emmerson: Normally, the derby at Goodison Park is the big one for Everton fans. And if you view it in that manner, you can label Brendan Rodgers as a huge Bluenose this weekend, because this may well be one of the most decisive matches of his managerial career.
Never in recent history has a Merseyside derby held bigger importance to the future of a Liverpool or Everton manager, and if you believe what you read, then Rodgers could be gone with a win, draw or loss.
However, the chance of him going will be increasingly lower if he can obtain the former, which would prove as a second successive league win, somewhat masking the horrifying start to the season that the Reds have suffered. To do this, the team selection must be bang on, and here's how I'd line up.
Naturally, Simon Mignolet starts in goal, as he's the clear number one ahead of Adam Bogdan. The question is, how many defenders are ahead of him? I'd go for a three man defence, and here's why.
Romelu Lukaku isn't in top form, but has newly renewed confidence having bagged a brace against West Brom on Monday, ending his barren spell in doing so. Due to this you've got to occupy him by lining him up against three centre backs, in Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho and Emre Can, all of whom can defend against him. The temptation is there to give Joe Gomez his first start in a derby and move Can into midfield, but I feel that would be unfair on the youngster, who's been out of league action for a few games.
Another reason for me going with three at the back is to make use of a position where I believe Liverpool are well blessed, the wing back areas. With Leighton Baines injured, the Blues' left-back overlap is nulified, and Seamus Coleman is also an injury doubt. This, combined with the fact that Roberto Martinez has been fairly resistant to playing wingers this season, provides an excellent opportunity for Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno to impress down the flanks.
Moving into the midfield two, the loss of captain Jordan Henderson will be a huge miss, and he'll be glad that the upcoming international break allows him to continue his recovery without missing more club football.
James Milner, who has taken up the captaincy role, recovered from a spell of poor form with a goal against Aston Villa last weekend, keeps his place in centre midfield, and I'd pair Joe Allen alongside him. The Welshman doesn't offer the defensive support of a Lucas Leiva, but provides a link from defence to attack through his passing, that has been lacking from Liverpool's play in recent weeks.
Ahead of Allen and Milner, the rest of the team pretty much picks itself. Philippe Coutinho in the hole, with Danny Ings and Daniel Sturridge as the front two. Coutinho and Sturridge are the teams' natural matchwinners, whilst Ings has endeared himself to the fans with hard working performances, and two goals in his last three games.
Ollie's XI - Everton (3-4-1-2): Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Clyne, Allen, Milner, Moreno, Coutinho, Ings, Sturridge.
Ameé Ruszkai: We keeping dubbing games as 'must-win' for Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool, but if the manager wants to get the fans really on his side once more, than victory in a local derby is the perfect way.
For the first time in a while, Everton come into the fixture as favourites, in better form and much more confident that the out of sorts Reds, and therefore the line-up needs to be a positive, attacking one selected by Rodgers to counter this.
First and foremost, with Everton having injuries in the full-back department, a back three with wing-backs should work to great effect, and thus Rodgers should continue with this formation. In those centre-back roles, I would deploy Emre Can, Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho - the best of the lot at the moment in defence.
Joe Gomez has looked shaky in the centre of defence when operating there in Europe, whilst Kolo Toure is more of a squad rotational player than a starter, meaning these three are the obvious selection, with Dejan Lovren still injured.
Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno are then the best two wide men, with Jordon Ibe having underwhelmed in midweek against FC Sion in this role. Moreno in particular offers a lot of offensive threat, whilst Clyne's defensive duties are well committed to, meaning the back three can move into a four when on the back foot, even when the Spaniard is caught out of position.
Joe Allen was a strong performer on Thursday, and I believe he earned himself a place in Sunday's team as a result, with his passing ability and good vision allowing Liverpool to transition from defence to attack well - something not offered by others in a defensive midfield role this season, the likes of Lucas Leiva and Can himself.
James Milner should return to play alongside him, offering some authority with his vice-captaincy, whilst Philippe Coutinho plays in a more advanced role just ahead of him, pulling the strings for the two strikers ahead of him.
Personally, I would then like to see Divock Origi partner Daniel Sturridge up front, the Belgian having had a great game on Thursday, but with fatigue likely and Danny Ings in good form and high in confidence off the back of an England call-up, his presence is perhaps the smarter option, especially in a big game.
Origi, still, offers a good option off the bench, as will the lively Adam Lallana, unfortunate to miss out again despite being a good performer in Europe last time out.
Ameé's XI - Everton (3-4-1-2): Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Sakho; Clyne, Allen, Milner, Moreno; Coutinho; Ings, Sturridge.