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Wayne Rooney returned to Everton in 2017. (Image: Sky Sports )
Wayne Rooney has admitted he urged his Everton team-mates to 'turn the TVs' off ahead of Liverpool games amid fears the coverage would impact their build-up. The forward revealed he switched his approach to Merseyside derbies when returning to the club from Manchester United.
Rooney made a heroic return to Goodison Park in 2017, having previously left Everton for United as a teenager. But while the Liverpool-born ace left for the States in the following summer, he was still able to part his wisdom on his Everton counterparts.
When asked about his approach to Merseyside derbies, the ex-England man told Sky Sports: "When I went back, as a young player you understand the game but around it, you are just going with the flow with the senior players. When I went back, I could feel a fear within players, staff, it was in everyone.
"You have got Sky Sports on and you are seeing interviews, old goals and stuff and in the end I was getting them to turn the TV’s off. We had to get them to turn the TVs off so the game wasn’t constantly on people’s minds and get them to relax a little bit more."
Wayne Rooney is keen for his former team to send Jurgen Klopp off with a loss. (Image: Getty)
It appeared to have the desired effect, with Everton going unbeaten in both of their league meetings with the Reds that season. There was no such luck in the FA Cup though, with Jurgen Klopp's men edging the tie with a late Virgil Van Dijk goal.
Unsurprisingly, as an ex-Everton and United star, Rooney has carried over his distaste for Liverpool into retirement. Speaking ahead of Wednesday night's clash, he said: "Klopp has been fantastic for the Premier League and Liverpool, so from that point of view it will be sad to see him go.
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"But from Everton's point of view, it's always a horrible few days going into it. You're obviously thinking what happens if you lose the game and that's around the club as well. I've been there and experienced it."
He finished up by saying: "But I just think if you had come to this game and Everton had lost to Nottingham Forest, it would've been a nightmare around the place. The fact they beat Forest, the fans got a lift and they could make it difficult for Liverpool and hopefully we send Klopp off with a loss."
