There will be no mercy in the battle for domination of the Mersey between Liverpool and Everton

Ronald Koeman manager of Everton (Clint Hughes/Getty Images)

IT’S now getting on for 30 years since Liverpool and Everton ruled English football.

In the 11 seasons between 1980 and 1990, the First Division title landed on Merseyside nine times.

In 23 Premier League campaigns, though, Liverpool’s best is a trio of second place finishes, Everton’s a single fourth place.

Rarely, though, has the anticipation of a return to the glory days been as strong as it is ahead of this season.

Liverpool’s reason for optimism is Jurgen Klopp. He made an impact with the force of his personality after taking over from Brendan Rodgers last October, even though he was imposing his methods on inherited players.

Now he’s had a summer transfer window and a pre-season to stamp his hallmark, and the squad is now his own.

Everton are hopeful because not only have they appointed one of the brightest managers in Ronald Koeman, they now have money to back him up.

The investment of Farhad Moshiri has removed the barrier that all Koeman’s predecessors faced.

They can now compete at a higher level in terms of recruitment and they no longer have to sell anyone they don’t want to.

The appointment of Steve Walsh – who is credited with masterminding Leicester’s scouting and transfer policy – as director of football also gives the impression of solid building blocks being put in place.

Most accept that winning the title would be a stretch this season, but both clubs must harbour top-four ambitions.

“Doing a Leicester” may not be on the agenda.

But “doing a Spurs” definitely is.

In fact, for Klopp it would be deemed failure if he didn’t register significant improvements on his settling-in period.

Temperamentally, he seems ideally suited to the club.

He showed American owners, FSG, enough by finishing runners-up in two cups and with some stunning taster performances in the league for them to extend his original contract after just nine months.

Somehow no one seemed to notice that he finished two places below where Rodgers did in his last season but he won’t get away with that again.

Koeman will obviously be given a honeymoon period but increased financial power always brings increased expectation. A season like the one that got Roberto Martinez sacked won’t be tolerated.

The Goodison Board played hardball when other clubs wanted their young stars last summer and they certainly have the clout now to do that again.

However, making players stay against their will is always a tricky business.

You have to make it worth their while by giving them a level of success to compensate for missing out on higher wages.

Martinez couldn’t do that and it will be one of Koeman’s priorities should the club dig in their heels again.

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