21 October 2023 , 05:30
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To some, Liverpool versus Everton is one of the tamer local derbies in the Premier League but there will be an added layer of tension when the two meet on Saturday.
The Merseyside rivals meet at Anfield for the mid-day kick-off and the hosts are undeniably the overwhelming favourites, but Everton will be hoping to spring quite the surprise. For all the goings on on the pitch, it may be worthwhile keeping a close eye on the two dugouts given the history of the two managers.
On home soil, Jurgen Klopp will smell blood but Sean Dyche is in the blue corner and has already had a number of fiery exchanges with the Liverpool boss in recent years. The first came five years while Dyche was still in charge of Burnley.
Klopp's side had just run out 3-1 winners at Turf Moor and though the two shook hands as normal come full-time, Dyche opted to scold the German for his touchline conduct during the clash. The then-Burnley boss was reportedly most incensed by Klopp’s repeated complaints to the fourth officials, where he was allegedly demanding several yellow cards for Clarets players.
Without a doubt, the most heated altercation between the two came inside the Anfield tunnel during Burnley's memorable 1-0 win in January 2021. After Ashley Barnes and Fabinho came to blows on the stroke of half-time, Klopp, who had started to make his way to the dressing room, re-emerged after hearing VAR was checking the incident for a possible red card.
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The check passed with no red card before Dyche uttered something in the direction of Klopp as he walked past the Liverpool manager into the tunnel. Seething, Klopp followed the Burnley boss down the tunnel in full view of the Sky Sports cameras gesticulating as he went.
The two continued to shout in each other's faces before eventually presumably realising they each had team talks to take. Dyche was pressed for comment about the incident after the game but offered up a rather cryptic reply.
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Sean Dyche and Jurgen Klopp have had a fractuous relationship down the years (Getty Images)"You know when we come to these places, we are allowed to actually fight and are actually allowed to try and win," he explained. "That's all it was. It was nothing out of the normal - just two managers fighting to win a game. There's nothing wrong with that."
However, two years on from the incident, by which time Dyche was in charge at Goodison Park, he discussed the exchange in more detail ahead of a Merseyside derby in February of this year. He did, however, quash any talk of a personal rivalry between the pair.
"There's no renewing it. It's just two managers playing against each other's teams. There was nothing in that. He felt my coat wasn't good like John McGinn did, and he mentioned it. And I say 'Well, you weren't the first to get there. John's already referenced my coat'. That one cleared that up.
"Look, I think fans don't mind that. They want to see two managers fight for their teams, for their clubs, standing up. After the game it's gone, for me, it's done. That's it. End of. That used to be a more regular occurrence in football. Maybe not so much now. It used to be nothing [but] it makes a story."
Pre-match pleasantries are certain, but keep an eye on how friendly the two are come full-time after what promises to be a hard-fought, competitive meeting between the Merseyside neighbours.