Jurgen Klopp has urged his Liverpool side to forget about the Champions League and prepare for a show of “aggression” from Everton at Goodison.

The Reds boss will ring the changes for Saturday's 231st Merseyside derby following the gruelling midweek triumph over Manchester City.

Klopp knows that Everton, who have had the luxury of a full week to prepare, will be fired up as they look to end their miserable 16-game winless streak in this fixture.

However, Klopp isn't looking for excuses and insists Liverpool won't have one eye on Tuesday's trip to the Etihad.

“I don’t care about the Man City game in the moment. It is all about this game,” Klopp said.

Asked if it was the worst possible time for the Reds to be playing the derby, he added: “We are not allowed to think about things like this.

“That is why I spoke about my feelings (about the lunchtime kick-off) a couple of weeks ago. I don’t even feel it any more, it’s no problem.

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“At my age you wake up early anyway. I have no problem playing at 12.30pm but it makes sense if you can get each minute, each hour for recovery.

(Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

“Somebody else decided that long ago. A few people didn’t think we would still be in the competition. It's decided and we have to go through now. We are in the middle of the circus and all the rest is decided around us.”

Danny Ings, Dominic Solanke, Alberto Moreno, Nathaniel Clyne and Gini Wijnaldum are all likely to be drafted into the starting line-up.

It would be Ings' first Liverpool start during Klopp's reign and his first since he scored in a 1-1 draw at Goodison in October 2015.

Clyne hasn't made a competitive appearance for the Reds since last May due to a back problem.

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Klopp knows it will be fierce but is hoping Sam Allardyce's side don't cross the line.

Liverpool can ill afford any more injuries ahead of the second leg against City on Tuesday night.

“Of course it will be very aggressive,” Klopp said.

“Everybody has told them the last five weeks or longer that they haven’t won a derby in I don’t know how long. That’s the easiest motivation you can get.

“We need to be ready. Our boys like winning football games and we have a chance of winning a football game because there is no decision made yet.

“Aggressive in a football way? No problem with that. But if it is over the edge then it makes no sense.

“Would anything change with whatever I would say now? We would have someone not too far from here saying I am a soft German who is asking for help from somebody else.

“It is a derby and there are a lot of people out there who love this part of the game. I hated it my whole life. I never understood it. It's as silly as throwing something at a bus.

“I don’t need the protection of somebody but the right decisions help a lot.”

Allardyce branded Klopp a “soft German” after Liverpool beat his Sunderland team 1-0 back in December 2015. The pair were involved in a heated exchange on the touchline after Klopp reacted angrily to Jermaine Lens’ challenge on Mamadou Sakho.