Duncan Ferguson has given his prediction for the final Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park while also revealing the one time that he lost his rag with an Everton team-mate following a game with Liverpool. Speaking to an old rival from across Stanley Park, Jamie Carragher, for an interview in the Telegraph, the former Blues fan favourite, now 53, said: “I fancy Everton to win.

“They can do it if they set the tempo, put them under pressure, get on top of them, get the fans involved and defend for their lives. One of the defenders will have to be man of the match, but then they can nick it.

“An inswinging corner on top of the keeper and a headed goal would do, wouldn’t it? There is nothing wrong with winning a game like that. Everton can’t win the derby passing Liverpool off the park, can they!”

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Ferguson netted the first of his 72 goals for Everton against Liverpool in a 2-0 Merseyside Derby win in 1994 when still on loan from Rangers and over three decades on, the experience still looms large in his mind. He said: “We always wanted to turn it into a battle.

“I was that type of player. Liverpool had the better players so I never sensed any fear from them, but we never feared them, either.

“I felt against most teams I could use my physical strengths and whatever reputation I had to my advantage. You know how it works.

“You have a few good games and before you know it people are making out you’re the hardest person to walk the planet. I wasn’t, but as long as people believed that there was a psychological advantage.

“My first goal in Joe Royle’s first game sticks out. Once you score against the enemy, that’s it, isn’t it? Everyone will always remember the Liverpool goals and Manchester United goals.

“Fans talk about the big moments and the first thing we always looked for was that Liverpool game. I certainly did. I’m not sure how many we won in that time, but I know it was a long time before we lost any.”

Ferguson’s first defeat to Liverpool finally came in his second spell with Everton in 2001, on the day that he netted his fourth and final derby goal against the Reds but the giant Scot was in no mood for celebration following Gary McAllister’s dramatic stoppage time when that gave Gerard Houllier’s side a 3-2 victory at Goodison Park. He said: “I was devastated how we lost that game and to lose my unbeaten record.

“I’d scored and was man of the match. I very rarely argued with the lads after a game or raised my voice. But I couldn’t help myself that day.

“I said to our keeper, Paul Gerrard: ‘What the f*** were you doing?’

“He said: ‘I was coming for the cross.’

“I grabbed hold of him and said: ‘For f***’s sake, you’ve never come for a cross all f****** season!’ By then we were a bit jealous when you and Stevie came through.

“We wanted more of our own local lads with that fire. Warriors who could really play.”

Despite taking on a couple of tough assignments at Forest Green Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle – suffering relegation with both – after his brace of caretaker stints at Everton, Ferguson admits he still dreams of being in the hot seat again at his beloved Blues. He said: “It was massive just to have that experience. Not many can say they managed Everton, can they?

“I felt they could have stuck with me the [second] time when they brought Frank [Lampard] in. Just to give me a chance until the end of that season because I knew the team and would also have kept us up. Then they could have looked at it at the end of the season.

“I would love to be the manager of Everton again. I know it looks a long way off, but that’s the dream. You have to keep your dreams alive, don’t you?

“I know what I need to do first; to get a job, have a bit of success, prove myself. But I’d still love it, even if it is five or 10 years from now. I love the club too much to give up that dream.”

Ferguson was given his first coaching position by compatriot David Moyes and he reckons the Glaswegian, who steered Everton to nine top eight finishes during his first spell in charge, including a best Premier League placing of fourth in 2004/05, was always destined to return. He said: “To me, Everton will always be about a traditional big striker, wingers getting it in the box, full-backs bombing on forward to give you width – and a team of hard workers.

“I know the game changes and you have coaches with their own style of play, but the Evertonians will always want that strength and aggression. You have to get at the opposition and give whoever comes to Goodison or the new stadium the biggest test they will ever have physically and psychologically.

“That’s Everton for me. I look at football sometimes and think how fantastic it must be to be a centre-back.

“You’ll see games with no aerial duels at all, and no balls in behind. You tell me, what do defenders want least?

“To have to turn towards their own goal. There’s not enough of that.”