Over the last few years, Merseyside has somewhat suffered within regards of footballing glory, with Liverpool struggling to overcome both of the Manchester clubs, meanwhile, Everton seemed to be in the shadow of their own Merseyside rivals themselves. 

However, this season has seen an upturn at both clubs, with both Liverpool and Everton in the upper echelons of the Premier League table, with Everton flying high in fourth, and Liverpool sitting pretty at the top of the table. 

This optomism hasn’t been seen in the city for several years, with both sides in the shadow of Manchester United, but now, it is the Mersey clubs looking down at the Red Devils. 

Following Liverpool’s thrilling 3-2 victory at home to Manchester City, the Reds are now in pole position to win their first League title since 1990, which would mean a first Premier League crown. 

The Reds have played some brilliant football over the last ten months, with both Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge scoring 49 goals between them this season, in a strike partnership not seen at Anfield since the Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler era.  

Rodgers has also brought through several young, hungry English players, with the likes of local lad John Flanagan, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling all excelling in their respective positions, as Liverpool try at avenge 24 years without a League title.

The City has also been united in grief, with this year being 25 years since the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, in a tragic event in which 96 Liverpool supporters never returned home from an FA Cup tie in Sheffield against Nottingham Forest. 

That poignant event in time has spurred the side on to some overwhelming results, with the Reds doing the double over Manchester United, which included a 3-0 win at Old Trafford. 

They have also beat Tottenham Hotspur (4-0) and Arsenal (5-1) with Anfield becoming the fortress it once was again, with teams afraid to return to Anfield, in fear of a pasting. 

Rodgers has also masterminded a new style of play, which the bubbly Northern Irish manager had learnt during his time as a coach, before a superb stint with Swansea City. 

The capture of Simon Mignolet was also a massive coup, with the Belgium keeper becoming a real crowd favourite at Anfield, since signing from Sunderland in the summer. 

The City can also boast about the Blue half, with Everton flying high in fourth, and at this moment, on  the verge of Champions League football for the first time in a decade. 

Many supporters were somewhat bemused when long standing Chairman Bill Kenwright announced Roberto Martinez as the clubs new manager, with the Spaniard replacing David Moyes in the summer. 

Martinez has started his Everton career superbly, and has took his FA Cup win with Wigan Athletic as a stepping stone for success at Goodison Park. 

The Spaniard has brought in the likes of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, James McCarthy from Wigan Athletic, Gareth Barry from Manchester City, Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona, Aiden MGeady from Spartak Moscow, and a few others, to create a real melting pot of enthusiasm at Goodison. 

Martinez has also used the same tactics that won him an FA Cup title, with the Toffees keen to play attractive passing football.

However, despite the success of those loan signings, it is the stong core of home grown British talent which has stood out from the rest. 

Everton have long been a breeding ground for home grown talent, with the likes of Wayne Rooney in the past, and it now seems the Toffees have new found talent, in the form of Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman, Ross Barkley and now John Stones. 

Baines and Barkley have been superb for the club this season, and are pretty much in the squad for the World Cup Finals in Brazil, due to their current form for the club, which have seen Everton rise up the table. 

Aside from youth, Everton also have a host of experience, with goalkeeper Tim Howard,  club captain Phil Jagielka and Slyvain Distin all in terrific form. 

And under Martinez, Everton have realisedhow to grind out results, which have proved vital for their Champions League prospects, with Everton scraping past Sunderland at the weekend for example in a 1-0 win, in a never say die attitude spirit, which has also seen them turn over the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United, with 14 goal striker Lukaku a key factor in the win over Arsenal. 

They have also been hard to beat at home, losing just once at Goodison all season, which came in the Boxing Day defeat at home to Sunderland.  

If both Merseyside clubs can continue their respective form, it would be a superb achievement for such a proud City.  

By Ben Reardon 

@BenReardon1