'Our message? Stay calm and enjoy it'

As he prepares for the club's 223rd meeting with Everton, Liverpool's assistant manager has outlined what he believes to be the key to emerging victorious from the white-hot atmosphere of such tense occasions.

And, just days on from another dramatic night at Anfield, Pascoe sat down with Liverpoolfc.com at Melwood to also explain how one of the Reds' penalty shootout heroes against Middlesbrough missed three spot kicks in training the day before and why feels that Capital One Cup win could be the springboard needed to kick-start an improved run of form...

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Firstly, Colin, have you ever known anything quite like what we witnessed on Tuesday night?

No! I've been through penalty shootouts before and that's the first time it's ever got as far as the 'keepers taking penalties for me! I don't think Mario, Lucas, Adam or Suso would have thought they were going to take two in the shootout, but the boys were brilliant with them - nice and calm.

30 penalties in all - just what were you thinking watching from the side?

Just for the players to stay calm. We knew who the first five were going to be and then after that, it was a case of stepping up, picking your spot and the old cliché of not changing your mind.

Just one miss for Liverpool and so many good penalties. That must have been really pleasing?

Yes, it was. As I said, the lads stayed calm and there was some great technique in the penalties. We practised them the night before, funnily enough. Kolo missed three out of three, but on his fourth one he blasted it down the middle. Fair play to him for stepping up and taking a penalty in such a pressurised situation - and that's why he had a massive smile on his face after sticking it away!

And there wasn't a bad one from Simon, either...

No! Simon was the same, he blasted it down the middle. As 'keepers, they don't practice taking penalties - they only work on trying to save them. He hit it hard and it was a good penalty.

Brendan said after the game the result could be used as a bit of a springboard, with the players learning from the positive experience of winning the shootout. Is that something you agree with?

Definitely. We got through to the next round and the lads were delighted to get the win and do so. It can be a springboard - and I hope it is. Now it's the performance [levels] we're looking for, in the next couple of games and the rest of the season.

How are the lads that played the entire 120 minutes?

They were shattered the next day, as you'd expect them to be, but playing 120 minutes is a testament to their fitness. They kept going and then even afterwards, when they had to take penalties. Lucas had cramp in both of his legs, so for him for to step up and take two is testament to his fitness and professionalism.

Did you think you might need to take one at one point?

I was nearly stepping up myself, actually!

So Everton up next. Is there a bit of a difference in the atmosphere in training when you come up to a derby?

I wouldn't say there's a difference, but obviously everyone is aware of how important the derbies are. Training is the same, but you tweak a few little tactics during it. It gets more exciting as it builds up to the game and it'll be a great occasion.

Given the intensity and passion surrounding the derbies, do players have to approach them a little bit differently? Is there more of a call for a cool head?

Definitely. In every game, you want the players to be nice, calm and relaxed, and not get anxious about things. Everybody wants to win the derbies, but I think the team who stays calmest and enjoys the game [does better]. Everyone knows there's a lot riding on the derbies.

It'll be your fifth Merseyside derby here at Liverpool. What makes them so special?

They've all been special. The day of a derby, that's when the excitement is really great - especially when you see the fans when you're arriving up to the stadium. With the way the fans are and the passion, you always want to put on a great performance and, obviously, win.

We spoke about using the Middlesbrough game as maybe a bit of a springboard - what is the key to getting this season up and running?

We've been a bit unfortunate as we've lost four or five players in the last three or four weeks due to injuries. But now it's the level of performance we're looking for - we've set high standards here and we want to regain that level of performance.