Source: Telegraph
Everton midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov looking forward to derby with Liverpool
His performances earned him Everton's player of the month award for October and even his red card against Aston Villa implies he can handle the physicality of Premier League life. [LNB]That he has managed to do so while at the same time surviving the tomfoolery of Phil Neville, his captain, suggests Bilyaletdinov is starting to feel comfortable at Goodison Park. [LNB] Related ArticlesLiverpool oppose groundshare with EvertonLiverpool and Everton condemned to life as poor relationsEverton v Liverpool: match previewEverton consider ground-share with LiverpoolSport on television"We had a team dinner arranged at Attica in Manchester and I had already got dressed," he says. "Jeans, trainers, T-shirt. I was ready to leave and my phone rang. It was Phil, talking in a really serious voice. He said not to forget to wear my team suit. I was in a panic. [LNB]"I asked my girlfriend, Maria, to iron my shirt as quickly as she could while I got changed. Then I got to the restaurant and saw everyone in their jeans. They all found it very funny. Phil Neville's a funny man. Nice joke."[LNB]Neville, though, had not counted on the Russian seeking revenge. "When he was not looking I put food in the pocket of his coat," he says. "I have a sense of humour too. In Russia, it is a bit more formal."[LNB]Bilyaletdinov, his suspension served, will be granted his first taste of a Merseyside derby since his £10 million summer move. [LNB]"I saw the FA Cup game last year when Dan Gosling scored the winning goal," he said. "In Moscow, you do not even talk about a derby game in the week before but here they talk about it all year round. [LNB]"Everyone has told me how important these games are, that they are the biggest thing every season." [LNB]
