The 18-times English champions have become a high-powered soap opera in recent weeks as American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks attempt to hold on to power at Anfield but on Sunday, for 90 minutes at least, the key players will be in red and blue rather than grey suits.
Liverpool and Everton have both had horrible starts to the new season, managing just six points each from seven games and while "relegation scrap" would be egging the script a little too much, the need for a win has never been greater.
Liverpool's last action before the international break was a home defeat by Blackpool, a result that left them in the relegation zone. Everton are only marginally better off, having climbed out of the bottom three with a win at Birmingham City.
Form books and logic go out of the window in Merseyside derbies and Sunday's looks almost impossible to call.
"He has had intense treatment over the last 10 days and responded very well to that treatment," Liverpool's head of sports science and medicine Peter Brukner said on Wednesday.
"He's ready to resume training today and if we can build up his training and get through the next few days, then we are optimistic but not certain that he will be able to line up against Everton."
"We've won our first game of the season and once that happens you want to get on a roll," Baines told Everton's website.
Before Sunday's business at Goodison Park, Chelsea will be aiming to consolidate first place in the Premier League when they visit Aston Villa on Saturday evening.
