Everton vs Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool 'will always take the favourite tag'

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has tried to ramp up the pressure ahead of Sunday's game by claiming the visitors to Goodison Park are the favourites

Brendan Rodgers (GETTY IMAGES)

Brendan Rodgers insists he is more than happy to accept Liverpool being the favourites heading into the Merseyside derby.

His Everton counterpart Roberto Martinez tried to turn up the heat on Rodgers by claiming the amount of money he has spent - this summer's £80million outlay was four times what the Toffees spent - means there is far more expectation on the visitors to Goodison Park on Sunday despite their recent form not suggesting as much.

Rodgers dismissed the mind games but accepts his side do have to shoulder that burden.

"We will always take the favourite tag. When you are at Liverpool that is what you want," he said.

"We are happy if people want to put that onto us - we are Liverpool. There is no advantage or disadvantage for us.

"If we are the favourites it shows we are a big club and people look to us as the team who want to have that initiative.

"We are definitely a team where every game we go into the level of opponents' games goes up and that is because of the nature of the club we are.

"It shows you the level of expectancy here as opposed to another club. We are happy to live with that."

After edging past Aston Villa last weekend and being held to a 1-1 Europa League draw by mediocre Swiss side Sion - a result which was booed by supporters - the scrutiny on Rodgers remains.

However, having railed against "people outside the club" with an agenda against him last Saturday the Reds boss remains defiant in his belief that things will come good.

That will not deflect attention away from his future should things go awry across Stanley Park on Sunday.

Asked if he felt any additional pressure, Rodgers added: "No - and they (the players) don't feel it either, they are fine.

"There is no more or less pressure. The pressure is to perform in the game and that is pressure from within, nowhere else.

"I've always been clear as the manager, you will always have critics and of course if you are not winning games convincingly sometimes those critics can increase.

"I respect and understand that (booing) - they all want to win as much as we want to win and there was probably a bit of frustration.

"That is something you have to take on the chin as a coach and as players.

"But I also know there is a great level of support out there. It is about perspective; there is a lot of focus on these players who I think are dealing with it very well.

"Perspective keeps us calms and hopefully allows us to progress."

Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, he said: "(Everton) are a point ahead of us and have had a good start and we've had a disaster!

"We are only a couple of points from where we want to be in the top four."

But questions about his future refuse to go away.

"I am not looking for any reassurances (from owners Fenway Sports Group)," he said.

"It is not something I am seeking or am worried about. I will always work with the players and the situation I am in.

"It is still very early on in the season and we are making progress as we go along and we have some outstanding players to come back into the reckoning.

"When we get those back we know we have a squad to challenge."

PA