Sam Allardyce tells Wayne Rooney he must set example for Everton players at Liverpool in derby

Rooney has not been sent off since 2014 but has a reputation as a hot-head

Wayne Rooney will be a key player under Sam Allardyce (Getty)

Sam Allardyce admits Wayne Rooney must set the example for the rest of Everton’s players on how to play with passion and poise in the Merseyside derby.

Everton’s players could be forgiven for feeling a touch nervous about facing Liverpool on Sunday given the devastating goalscoring form of Jurgen Klopp’s side. The Reds have scored 40 goals in their last 11 matches in all competitions, and are unbeaten in six Premier League matches with five wins and 19 goals scored.

Everton will need to keep their discipline on the pitch with the consequences of being reduced to 10 men at Anfield potentially disastrous for the Toffees. Rooney’s reputation as a hot-headed character might therefore make him a strange choice as the template for his Everton colleagues, however his record is much improved.

His last sending off came for Manchester United against West Ham in September 2014 and then you have to go back a further five-and-a-half years to a game with Fulham to find his next dismissal in club football.

And Allardyce believes Rooney, who rejoined his boyhood club in the summer, should set the tone on how to handle the unique Merseyside derby atmosphere.

“Wayne has seen and done it all before so he's got a big part to play in that when we're going down the tunnel against Liverpool,” Allardyce said. “I think mentality is everything to start with. If you show any fear then Liverpool generally take advantage of that but if you show a good positive attitude of what you intend to do and how you intend to do it, they then know they are in for a difficult game.

“I know he's back at Everton, and it's Everton versus Liverpool, but there have been lots of games called Manchester United versus Liverpool that he's been involved in and he has to use that.

“It's very similar. As an Evertonian he is desperate to do well, as he was when he was at Manchester United and was desperate to beat them then. You want to calm the players down instead of geeing them up. I think Wayne can handle that.

“There are occasions when you see players getting over-emotional because of that atmosphere and then they can do one or two strange things.”

Rooney has eight goals in 21 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees and will carry the burden of finding the net in the derby and it is not a light one given Everton have scored just five goals in seven away Premier League games this season.

“We have to do it as a team but we want Wayne to play a big part in that team performance,” he said. “He has the ability to create problems. So we have to feed him enough ball if we possibly can.

“Everton is his club and he can use all that experience to deliver the kind of performance he gave against West Ham where he scored a hat-trick. It would mean it would give us a chance to create and score a goal with that type of performance.”

Rooney will be a key ally of Allardyce’s as he looks to make his mark on Everton’s squad over the next few weeks and months.

The 63-year-old will nevertheless look to add more firepower to Everton’s attack in January and ease the expectation on Rooney even if the former England captain has burning desire to play every game.

“Wayne’s lasted as long as he has and is still as good as he is because he is the same guy he's always been,” Allardyce added. “He doesn't have any edge about him. He's not arrogant. He loves his football. He doesn't like being left out even though he's 32.

“It's always 'I want to play' and that attitude is music to your ears. For all the fame he's achieved, and you do change over the years, he is still quite modest.”