They say that the form book goes out of the window for the Merseyside derby. Right now, that's just about the only thing in Brendan Rodgers' favour. Liverpool are in bad shape and patience is wearing thin. Thursday's Europa League draw with FC Sion, a distinctly mediocre Swiss outfit whose players were pilloried by their own chairman last week, was hardly ideal preparation for what is never less than a crucial clash.
You can always tell when a public figure is doomed. There is a scale of popularity upon which they all slide and, right now, Rodgers is hurtling down to the sharp end.