SOCCER: Everton manager David Moyes is trying to play down the hype surrounding 17-year-old striker Wayne Rooney ahead of the Merseyside derby tomorrow.

Rooney got on the scoresheet in the 2-1 defeat of Blackburn last weekend and is being tipped to start against Liverpool. But Moyes said: "This is not the Wayne Rooney show. There are a lot of Evertonians at this club, so it would be wrong just to mention Wayne. We have to remember there are a lot of other players who have played really well this season and are important to us.

"We understand how good Wayne is and he will be involved at some period of the game. We hope when he gets a chance he will show everybody just how good he can be."

Everton go into the match at Anfield ahead - unusually - of Liverpool in the table. That victory over Blackburn took them to fourth spot and these are heady days for Moyes in his first season at Goodison Park.

"There is great excitement as this derby is taking on a little bit more importance because of the way the league table is," he said. "For me it is great to say that we are ahead of Liverpool at this stage of the season and not far from the top.

"Probably, we didn't expect to be fourth but you take your opportunities when they come along. The players have been doing that all season."

This hasn't been the case at Liverpool, who have picked up only one point out of a possible 18. But they have been encouraged by their midweek League Cup victory over Aston Villa, and are hoping that Danny Murphy's injury-time winner could have turned the course of their season.

Assistant manager Phil Thompson believes Murphy's last minute strike, which sealed a thrilling 4-3 win at Villa Park, could have signalled a change in fortune at just the right time.

Thompson said: "I looked at that goal quite simply - the ball was played by Steven Gerrard and fell off Mark Kinsella's foot into the path of Danny.

"That has not happened for a quite a while. Things have not fallen for us in this recent run and goalkeepers have performed heroically. We've not had the rub of the green and maybe at Villa Park on Wednesday night it happened."

The derby game could have come at the right time for Liverpool, with Anfield veteran Thompson insisting league form does not matter on such frenetic occasions.

"We have been above Everton in the table most of the times we have played them recently, but it wouldn't matter if we were at the top and they were at the bottom or vice-versa.

"There is so much passion and commitment and good football on show that in the Merseyside derby your league position just does not make any difference."

Thompson and manager Gerard Houllier have insisted throughout their side's fall down the table that there was no need to press the panic button. They always believed the players retained the ability and, most importantly, the confidence to fight their way out of one of their most difficult periods for years.

Thompson could not believe how his side came away from Sunderland's Stadium of Light with nothing in their last Premiership match (they were beaten 2-1), but acknowledged how hard it has been for the players to continue to come to terms with their pointless performances.

"We have been supportive of them because it has been very difficult," Thompson admitted. "I don't think the lads deserved to lose any of those games. It's tough coming in and trying to lift them each time, and with each defeat that got a little more difficult.

"But the lads have handled themselves brilliantly after days when they have understandably been feeling very low."

One of the major bonuses from their Villa Park thriller was the return to top form of midfielder Steven Gerrard. Gerrard shone in his fourth consecutive game after an inconsistent spell fighting for his place in the team.

Thompson said: "We are very pleased with Stevie's return to form at the moment. He's been honest and admitted that his form has not been brilliant but he has shown great composure. The lad is back to his best and it was nice to see him all over the Villa Park pitch. All the other players respond to Steven Gerrard and when he's in full flow he can be quite frightening."

Liverpool have no new injury concerns, with Dietmar Hamann still out with a shin injury but Emile Heskey having recovered from his recent ankle strain.

Everton have defensive worries, with both Joseph Yobo and David Unsworth suspended. David Weir looks set to return to the starting line-up and is likely to partner Alan Stubbs at the back. But the main speculation centres on Rooney's inclusion.