David Moyes says the gap between his Everton side and Liverpool is "as big as it has been for a long time" as the two sides to prepare for Wednesday's Merseyside derby at Goodison Park (19:30 GMT).
The Toffees have not finished above the Reds since the 2012-13 season, which was Moyes' last in charge before joining Manchester United.
Recent years have seen Everton battle against relegation and financial issues, while title-chasing Liverpool have not finished lower than fifth in the past eight seasons.
"There's a gulf between the two squads, and everyone's aware of the difficulty this club has had," said Moyes.