Why This Season's Merseyside Derby Is Made for Liverpool Striker Mario Balotelli

Rewind the tape from the current day back to the second half of last season. The Merseyside derby at Anfield was not just seen as important for Liverpool and Everton but also the outcome of the top of the Premier League: the Reds were in a title fight, the Blues chasing the top four.

After a poor start to the season from both teams, though, this year's Anfield clash is looking more like a case of each side needing a positive result to kick-start their campaign, rather than maintain momentum.

Managers might alter their tactics, players may raise their game, but one face stands out as potentially having the biggest impact on the outcome of the derby—one way or another. Mario Balotelli has done well without setting off any fireworks since joining Liverpool—metaphorically and physically—but Saturday's game could be perfectly set for him to have a defining say on who emerges successful.

Background Battle

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With the players, the style and the expectations, most home games at Anfield should really be a case of Liverpool's attack vs. the opposition defence. It hasn't really gone that way so far in 2014-15, but there remains optimism that, soon, the new signings will click and those who remain from last term will find their rhythm.

With Daniel Sturridge having been out injured, Rickie Lambert looking nowhere up to speed and Fabio Borini nothing more than an alternative at present, Mario Balotelli is the obvious man to lead the Reds' attack. Brendan Rodgers could well opt to return to a three-pronged front line this weekend, with neither of his back-up forwards proving enough of a threat to warrant playing two strikers.

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Mario Balotelli's penalty yesterday: https://t.co/PyvrxDO4WN

— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) September 24, 2014"

Everton, meanwhile, have forsaken their good defensive form of last year to be the leakiest back line in the entire Premier League. Tim Howard's individual errors and the partnership of Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin not really getting up to speed yet have both contributed to this, and Balotelli and Co. will be looking to take advantage.

Testing Times

It's easy to say, but it's easy because it has proven true in the past: Balotelli has the talent to help teams take victory. However, he also has a temperament that sees opponents target him and can see him fade out of matches when things aren't going his way.

So far, his attitude has been close to first rate for Liverpool, working off the ball, tracking back, tactically doing a pretty good job and, critically, not reacting to provocation from opponents.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

However, an obvious flaw in his game (relative compared to the Reds' needs, not simply a flaw he must correct as the striker he is) is his tendency to drop off to the edge of the box for second balls and cutbacks, rather than provide the presence in the penalty area Liverpool clearly need at the moment.

The two tests for Balotelli in the game will be to ignore the inevitable abuse from the away supporters and that which comes his way from those on the pitch in blue and be capable of adding that direct run into the box when possession and build-up gets numbers into crossing or passing areas. If he does that, it's a small but immediate improvement on Liverpool's faltering attack.

Adam Lallana, Lazar Markovic, Lambert and others have their own traits, but making runs into the space afforded to them by the roving centre-forward is not principle among them—and with the requirements of wide or second forwards in the Reds' style, it must be.

b/r

Why Always Him?

Why Mario? He's referred to as a big-game player—and in the context of any given league season, they don't come an awful lot bigger than the local derby. Liverpool need a win, not just because of their slow start and not just because it's against Everton, but because of the expectation and the pressures on all involved.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

The "poor form" of Steven Gerrard has little to do with his specific failures as a defensive protector, rather the overall faltering aspect of the Reds' system: midfielders aren't pressing, forwards aren't creating and the centre-backs have varied between aggressive and atrocious.

Balotelli is the man at the top of the team, he's the one who plenty of chances should fall to and, right now, he's one of the just two or three players who the fans are really responding to. The cheers that accompanied his entrance to the pitch in the midweek game against Middlesbrough were only really equalled by celebrations for local debutant Jordan Rossiter's goal, an indication of just how important Balotelli has already become to the club, even without really firing on all cylinders yet.

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Mario Balotelli may irritate supporters of other clubs but he's doing exceedingly well so far in being wholly embraced by #lfc fans.

— Dave Phillips (@lovefutebol) September 25, 2014"

He needs a big performance for his own reputation and goalscoring record, and the Reds need to fire up their league campaign.

A home win over Everton brings plenty of everything they will need going forward: confidence, elation, self-belief and, presumably, a goalscorer or two. It all points to Balotelli, and Rodgers will be hoping Saturday marks the Italian's first appearance on the Liverpool scoresheet in the Premier League.

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