Liverpool vs Everton: Rafa Benitez claims his loyalties are SPLIT ahead of the Merseyside derby

Rafa Benitez has claimed his loyalties between Liverpool and Everton are divided ahead of tonight’s Merseyside derby, leaving Reds icon Jamie Carragher completely stunned.

Liverpool and Everton will play the 242nd Merseyside derby at Anfield on Monday night, but Benítez has refused to favor one team, as he is one of two managers to have coached both teams.

The Spaniard enjoyed much success during his six-year spell at Liverpool between 2004 and 2010, where they won the Champions League in 2005 before winning the UEFA Super Cup and FA Cup the following season, adding a Community Shield to their Anfield Collection in 2006.

Then in 2021, Benítez made the jump via Stanley Park to Goodison, but was sacked after just 13 games in charge following a disastrous season at Everton. But while some Everton fans found it hard to forget his Liverpool roots, Benítez says he still has a strong connection to both sets of fans.

“When I first arrived at Anfield I was surprised by the people, they were very friendly, they tried to help me adjust to the new place from day one,” Benítez wrote in a forthcoming book by Peter Kenny Jones entitled, Across the park: The men who dared to play for both Liverpool and Everton.

Rafa Benítez assures that he cannot choose between Liverpool and Everton ahead of tonight’s derby

Benitez’s claim stunned Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher on social media.

Then, at Everton, there were a lot of friendly people, but the difference was that some of them looked at you differently, they couldn’t forget the past with Liverpool.

‘I feel at home in Merseyside, my family is completely at home here and that’s important.

“Liverpool fans are still friendly and close today, many of the Everton fans know what really happened and are, shall we say, friendly.”

I cannot say that today it is more Liverpool or Everton. Of course, in six years there have been many ups and downs at Liverpool, but I still have good friends among the Everton fans.

Benítez (right) famously won the Champions League as Liverpool manager in 2005

Benítez’s claim has stunned his former player and Liverpool icon Carragher, who put two ‘amazing’ emojis in a tweet upon learning of the Spaniard’s admission.

It’s a situation Carragher knows all too well, having been a childhood Everton fan but would later switch allegiance to Liverpool after having played his entire career for the Reds.

Benitez chose to reflect on the good times at both clubs, rather than the bad, considering he only spent six and a half months as Toffees manager.

And while the Champions League win in Istanbul is one of his greatest achievements, a league win for Everton will live long in the 62-year-old’s memory.

However, he was sacked after just 13 games in charge of Everton following a disastrous reign.

Benítez insists he cannot choose between Everton and Liverpool after managing both clubs

Benítez added: ‘My best moment with Liverpool was the Champions League in 2005, along with many other good memories; the worst moment was the feeling towards the end that something was changing for the worse and that I had to leave.

‘With Everton, the best moment was the 2-1 win against Arsenal in December.

I prefer not to talk about the bad times. I don’t think managing Everton tarnished my reputation at Anfield; The Liverpool fans understood that my family and home are here and I hadn’t been training for a while, so many accepted this.