Matt Penington A Shrewsbury shutout is the main job at Anfield this time!

Then Everton stopper Pennington pounced as an unlikely goalscorer at The Kop End almost five years ago to hand the club he joined aged 11 an equaliser against their city rivals.

But Pennington’s surprise place in the Toffees side on his injury comeback ended on a sour note as the visitors went on to lose 3-1 to Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Warrington-born Pennington was a Red as a young child, but his allegiance changed having joined the Goodison academy at the beginning of his secondary school years.

He progressed through the youth set-up and made nine senior appearances in total, scoring one – in front of The Kop in the derby.

Now an established Shrewsbury defender having passed one year at the club – six months on loan – Pennington heads to Anfield for a third time in (he went once as a young child) in good goalscoring form following last week’s winner in the fine 1-0 League One success over Sheffield Wednesday.

But he also boasts three straight clean sheets to boot and knows that might be the bigger challenge up against Klopp’s side tomorrow – even hosts without Africa Cup of Nations star duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane and with other Covid availability issues.

“It’s nice to score any time, and it was nice to do it and get the win last weekend,” Pennington said of his bullet header last time out. “But this weekend I’ll be worrying more about keeping the ball out of our own net – I’ve got a feeling that’s going to be the case.”

The defender added on not facing absent Premier League top scorer Salah: “There is (relief) probably, but equally it would’ve been nice to test yourself against that level of player.

“You see him tearing defenders apart playing at a higher level than I am.

“It wouldn’t have been any disgrace to get done by Salah at the moment, I don’t think, but whatever team they put out will be a tough game.”

Pennington has rammed in a few headers already in his 12 months in Shropshire but his effort in the derby at Anfield was somewhat different and, he admits, harder to miss.

“It was a bit of a blur, I hadn’t played all season, I was out through injury, I was thrust back into action, it was my first first-team game back from injury that season.

“It was a blur, so new and different, but it was a mixed day, I got the goal but we lost the game, disappointment was the overriding emotion.

“I can remember it all, quite a bit of action from that game, the corner was flicked by (Phil) Jagielka, then it hit someone else, I remember it just floating into the box and it dropped right in front of me.

“You don’t get an easier goal than that – and I don’t score many. It was a few yards out ready to be tapped in.

“The euphoria of equalising at Anfield, the Everton fans going mad. I didn’t really know what to do, but the pure emotion came out, to have that moment was really special.”

Pennington said of a childhood of being a Red and then a Blue: “My mum and dad didn’t follow a team so Liverpool was the team in the vicinity. I followed them as a kid, before I was 11 and joined Everton. That’s where I stayed with Everton and that was my team, I’ve been a Blue since and have great affiliation with that club, I’m glad I played for that club and for so long.”