Mamadou Sakho has said he never considered quitting Liverpool despite walking out of September’s Merseyside derby at Anfield following a snub from the manager, Brendan Rodgers.

The France international initially struggled to secure a first-team place at Liverpool after an £18m transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2013 and matters came to a head when he was omitted from the squad to face Everton earlier this season. Sakho responded to Rodgers’ decision by leaving Anfield over an hour before kick-off, a fit of pique that prompted a rebuke from his manager and was made worse when he suffered a thigh injury two days later.

On Saturday, having enjoyed a run of 12 consecutive starts, he prepares to face Everton in the best form of his Liverpool career. “That was a bad moment for me, a difficult time,” the 24-year-old admitted. “I felt bad but that is normal. I wanted to play, I want to play all the time and I was disappointed. It is the same for all the players – we want to play for the red shirt and, in a big game, it is important for us. I think it was natural that I was disappointed because I want to play for this shirt and I am ready to fight for the club.”

Despite a difficult start on Merseyside, that included being sidelined for over two months by the thigh injury, the youngest captain in PSG’s history insists he never contemplated a quick exit. “I never doubted I would come back,” Sakho said. “I never thought to leave.

“I don’t know if I have proved I belong here, that is for others to decide. But I am happy, very happy at the club, and very happy with the team. I have two and a half years left on my contract and I never say I want to go. I am happy here in Liverpool, my family is happy and everything is settled for me. I like being at Liverpool.”

Liverpool’s defensive record has improved significantly since Sakho was restored to the left of Rodgers’ three-man back-line. The Liverpool manager dealt with the defender’s breach of protocol internally, describing it as a “real light-switch moment” for Sakho, and believes there is more to come from the expensive recruit.

“He hadn’t intended to cause any offence,” Rodgers explained. “He was obviously really disappointed, like most players are, and I don’t turn my back on players when I know they care and want to work and that’s all he’s ever wanted to do. You see consistency in him now. He’s still got improvements to make but you see that he really cares, he’s a real warrior, he’s strong and he’s playing very well.”