The farewell lap for Jurgen Klopp has now turned the final corner and is heading towards the finishing straight. And while there are only two home games remaining, one other assignment in the city now looms large for the Liverpool boss.

That comes at Goodison this evening when Klopp takes charge of his 19th and final Merseyside derby with both the Reds and Everton in need of three points for vastly contrasting reasons.

For Liverpool, there is the desire to keep pace with both Manchester City and Arsenal as the Premier League title race reaches a thrilling conclusion. And on the other side of Stanley Park, victory would arguably banish any lingering fears of relegation after yet another season hovering above the drop zone.

READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp sends warning Liverpool players after 'over the top' Everton derby moments

READ MORE: Liverpool new manager latest as Feyenoord boss Arne Slot becomes leading contender

Klopp can boast an impressive record against Everton, having lost only one of his previous 18 derbies as Liverpool manager, the 2-0 Anfield reverse behind closed doors in February 2021 to a visiting side helmed by Carlo Ancelotti. His record at Goodison has seen two wins - the most recent a 4-1 romp in December 2021 - and five draws.

But when the German packs his bags and bids farewell to Merseyside next month, the scraps to claim local bragging rights will not be among the things he misses too much.

"Around the derby is just pressure," he says. "The pressure is higher so why should the joy be higher? You win it, great, but why should I miss the pressure around it? This time, when you're really playing for something, that's the pressure. But when you are both not in a great moment, it's the one game you have to win, definitely. That kind of pressure - why would I miss that? It's not enjoyable.

"Everyone else can only watch it and think 'oh my God, it looks exciting'. But somebody has to make the decisions, somebody has to do this, somebody has to do that.

"So many people visit me always around the games and say 'we will not see that anymore or that anymore' and I just want to tell you - I work all the time while you just come here and watch the games. I'm constantly in it, even when the game is over I can't switch off. It's not great to be in this situation all the time.

"Maybe other people enjoy that more than me. But that's something I definitely will not miss."

Having been part of the historic fixture - tonight is the 244th meeting between the two teams - for the best part of a decade, Klopp accepts he cannot in future observe from a neutral standpoint.

"I will never be able to watch a Merseyside derby without any kind of (emotion)," he says. "I feel exactly the same as everybody else around these games, but as long as I'm involved, I have to be calm. But if I am just watching it, then I will feel a different kind of emotion, definitely. I want Liverpool to win all of them, definitely. That means it's important. I know so many people where the game means everything to them.

"I don't know when I can start enjoying watching football, we will see that. I might give it a try at the Euros!"

The relentless schedule and the pursuit of honours - Liverpool saw their Europa League hopes ended last Thursday when a 1-0 win at Atalanta wasn't enough to avoid a quarter-final exit on aggregate - has meant Klopp has had little time to dwell on what life will be after he leaves Anfield.

But it appears the Reds boss will welcome the break. "I have no idea at the moment what I will miss, but it feels like I won't miss a lot of the things for plenty of reasons," says Klopp.

"I had my last European game last week, yes we didn't go through and you can make a big story of it being my last game, but I just tried to figure out how I felt, and it was nothing. It's not like I felt I would never have a European game again - if that would be the case, then I wouldn't stop it.

"I had 1,000 games as a manager, probably more than 100 European games, so what do you want? 300? 500? I don't know how many you have to have to be happy with what you did. That's really not my problem. I've played for the last time at Old Trafford, the last time against City away, at home as well, I just don't feel these kind of things. Not yet."

Klopp may not miss the Merseyside derby. But he knows signing off with another victory against the neighbours would keep alive hopes of a glorious end to his reign.