Sunday's 214th Merseyside derby will take on even greater significance than usual with the Reds currently enduring their worst start to a season since 1953-54 when they were relegated. Everton have fared little better, securing their first victory at Birmingham just before the international break, to move one place ahead of their near-neighbours on goal difference alone. Hodgson believes both teams are in false positions and expects things to have improved considerably by the time the two sides meet again at Anfield in mid-January. "I am looking forward to it. It would've been nice if we could have been in a better position though," said Hodgson ahead of his first Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. "I'm sure my colleague David [Moyes] would be saying the same thing. "It's a bit unusual to see a derby with both teams down there but I'm pretty sure we'll see both teams in a better position for the next one. "I suppose there is extra importance because both of us are desperately in need of points - but it would be nice if we could get them." Hodgson has experienced the Milan derby as manager of Inter but admits there are very few fixtures which can match the experience of a clash between two teams separated only by the few hundred yards of Stanley Park. "In terms of passion I think this derby stands up there with the best ones," he said. "If you are talking about derbies which excite all the people within the city, then you have to think of the ones from Glasgow and Milan too. "If you are talking about pure derbies, then Chelsea versus Fulham certainly doesn't compare to Liverpool and Everton - only Milan and Glasgow can do that." Hodgson will not be the only one experiencing his first Merseyside derby, with new signings Joe Cole, Raul Meireles, Paul Konchesky, Milan Jovanovic and Christian Poulsen all likely to get their first taste. But the manager knows how well the players do is often down to their own personal mental strength and character. "On paper and verbally, you could say they know what to expect, but you can only really know what to expect when you have the experience," he explained. "Quite a few of our players are new - some are new to the country and not just the club - so it takes time for players to adjust to that. "We are naive in our expectations sometimes. We sign a good player from abroad and then expect him to go and play like Steven Gerrard from the first moment. That doesn't happen. "That's our situation at the moment. It's a new team and a new venture. "Maybe we've expected too much from some of the people - they are still finding their feet. But they are good players so let's hope they have the ability and quality to deal with it."
