Here comes the fear again. There's nothing quite like a Merseyside derby to bring on the sense of dread from both sides of the cross-city divide.
For the neutrals, they are among the games that are circled at the start of the season as ones to watch. For those involved, however, the trepidation and sheer terror of losing mean they are occasions to be endured rather than enjoyed.
And for Liverpool there will be particular reason to tread warily with the fates and the momentum all pointing towards a difficult afternoon on their first visit to Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday afternoon for the 248th running of English football's most regular parochial spat.
Certainly, the portents very much favour the Blues, who followed up their impressive 3-0 win at home to fellow top-five aspirants Chelsea with a dramatic 2-2 draw at Brentford last weekend.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have lost four of their last five games in all competitions and were dumped out of the Champions League by holders Paris Saint-Germain in midweek after a spirited performance ultimately lacking in quality.
For all the talk of the form book being thrown out of the window in derby matches, such unexpected results are rarely the norm. There have been few genuine surprises in recent Merseyside clashes.
Of course, both sets of supporters - and perhaps some of the players - will happily be throwing the expectation firmly at the opposing camp.
But with Liverpool only five points ahead of their neighbours in the battle for Champions League qualification, there is a genuine belief among the Everton fanbase that not only is a European berth achievable, but so too finishing above the Reds for a first time in 13 years.
Here comes the fear again. Yet while Liverpool boss Arne Slot will be acutely aware of the stakes when his side steps out on the banks of the Mersey this weekend, he will have a not-so-secret weapon to which he can turn.
The Merseyside derby has often provided a platform for younger players to make their name. Way back in the 1970s, supersub David Fairclough cemented his burgeoning reputation with a late Anfield winner for Liverpool, while in the 1990s the likes of Billy Kenny and Danny Cadamarteri shot to prominence for Everton while Steven Gerrard's display in 1999 highlighted what was to come.
More recently, Curtis Jones announced himself to the wider world with the winner in the FA Cup tie between the sides in January 2020 aged just 18.
Liverpool, though, have an even younger player in their ranks in 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who continued his rapid progress by scoring the opener in a man-of-the-match display in the 2-0 home Premier League win against Fulham last weekend.
A first goal for Ngumoha at Anfield on his second top-flight start, it was sufficient to be given a decent chunk of the second half against PSG in midweek for more welcome experience under his belt. The teenager didn't look out of place in a Champions League quarter-final.
A baying crowd of expectant Evertonians, of course, will be a very different prospect. But if some of the Liverpool players will, through experience, be braced for what to anticipate, that won't be the case for Ngumoha.
The winger, like so many fledgling talents before, isn't burdened by any such angst. His is a fearless approach and that would serve the Reds well while giving Slot's side a threat of pace and direct running that will give Everton something different to think about.
If he features, Ngumoha will become the youngest player to play in a league derby for Liverpool, and a goal would make him the youngest player on either side in any competition to net in the fixture.
With Hugo Ekitike out, Alexander Isak having his minutes managed and Dominik Szoboszlai perhaps once again needed at right-back, it's not unrealistic to envisage Ngumoha starting on the left flank, particularly given his performance last week.
If the youngster doesn't make an impact, nobody at Liverpool will grumble. Such afternoons are inevitable as part of his learning curve.
But Liverpool need to banish the fear. And the thrilling excitement of the twinkle-toed Ngumoha could be one way to poop Everton's Hill Dickinson party.
Ian Doyle has covered Liverpool for more than 25 years, following them across Europe in multiple Champions League and Europa League finals and as far afield as Thailand, Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong and Qatar, and has reported on the Reds winning every major honour. He previously also covered Everton for 18 years and has followed England, reporting on the European Championships and World Cup final. Once had to tell Jude Law he does not drive a Mini.
