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The last time Liverpool and Everton did battle Mamadou Sakho’s Anfield career had reached its lowest ebb.

Informed by Brendan Rodgers that he hadn’t even made the bench for September’s visit of the Blues, the raging £18million defender promptly stormed out. Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel were the manager’s first-choice pairing with Kolo Toure as back-up.

An apology from Sakho soon followed in the wake of the 1-1 draw but it was three months before he started another game.

His prospects looked bleak but an injury to Lovren led to him earning a recall for the clash with Arsenal in December and he set about grasping his shot at redemption.

Since then the 24-year-old has been ever present in Rodgers’ three-man backline – making 12 successive starts and helping to transform Liverpool’s campaign.

He has cut out the errors which blighted his first season at Anfield and his commanding presence has helped the Reds tighten up.

I wanted to play - to be disappointed was natural

Having watched the previous showdown with Everton from afar, Sakho is guaranteed to be in the thick of the action at Goodison on Saturday evening and it’s a challenge he’s relishing.

“The last derby was a bad moment for me,” Sakho said.

“It was a difficult time. I felt bad. I was disappointed because I wanted to play. It is the same with all the players – we all want to play for the red shirt in big games. To be disappointed was natural.

“Thankfully, things have changed for me. I am always ready to fight for the club and for the team.

“I don’t know if I have proved I belong here as that’s for others to decide. But I am very happy at Liverpool and very happy with the team.

“I have two and a half years left on my contract and I’ve never said I wanted to go. My family is happy here and everything is settled for me, and I like being at Liverpool.”

We have to be at our strongest

Sakho hasn’t faced the Blues since his arrival from boyhood club Paris Saint Germain in September 2013. He was an unused substitute for last season’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Goodison and then a hamstring injury meant he missed the Reds’ 4-0 win at Anfield.

He knows what this fixture means to the club’s supporters.

“The Everton game is special,” he said. “It’s one where we always have to be at our strongest. We have to be ready. We’re in good form and it’s a big game for us.

“I want to be an important player for Liverpool. I hope I am playing this time, but I am not the coach. I’ll continue to work hard and make sure I am ready but the coach has to do his job, and he will decide if I play or not.”

The Paris-born defender of Senegalese descent is no stranger to having to fight to establish himself.

Teenage tearaway combines talent with social conscience

He had a tough upbringing in the Paris neighbourhood of Goutte d’Or and the death of his father hit him hard.

He joined PSG at the age of 12 but by his own admission he was a teenage tearaway. He was threatened with expulsion from PSG’s Academy before he finally knuckled down and established himself.

His talent has always been combined with a social conscience. Soon after he arrived at Liverpool he volunteered his services as an ambassador for the club’s charitable foundation.

Even during a nightmare first half of the campaign, he insists he never lost hope that he would force his way back into Rodgers’ plans.

“I never doubted I would come back. I never thought about leaving,” he said.

“Yes, it was hard for me when I was left out and then I was injured for a long time. But one thing about me is that I have a strong mentality all the time.

I work hard and I fight hard

“Whether it’s here at Liverpool or if I’m playing with the national team in France, it is the same. I work hard and I fight hard.

“I never give up. I’ll never walk away from the fight because of my life before. When I was younger, my life was very difficult. I had to experience some very difficult times. And I think I have a good mentality because of that.

“I try to remain positive all the time, to think positive and to believe in myself.”

Sakho admits belief is coursing through Rodgers’ side as they prepare for the 224th Merseyside derby.

Liverpool head for Goodison on a glorious high following Wednesday night’s dramatic 2-1 win over Bolton in the FA Cup.

Sakho is dreaming of FA Cup glory but for now the focus is on beating the Blues and maintaining Liverpool’s push towards the top four.

“We are very happy because it was a strong performance from the team at Bolton,” he said.

“They made it a very difficult game for us but we kept going and got our reward. Over the whole 90 minutes we showed we were very focused, very concentrated on the job, and had great determination.

“We won because of the character we have as we never thought for even one second the game was lost. Winning the FA Cup is a real objective. We have a good opportunity, but we need to remain calm.

“The team is playing much better now, We are all together and we need to stay like this.

“I’m happy to play but what’s most important to me is that the team is playing well with a very good mentality. It’s nice to be part of it.”