Everton manager David Moyes lit the touchpaper ahead of Sunday’s English Premier League Merseyside derby, urging referee Andre Marriner not to fall for the play-acting of Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.

In last season’s equivalent fixture, Everton’s Jack Rodwell – now of Manchester City – was sent off after a challenge on Suarez that prompted a theatrical reaction from the Uruguayan, much to Moyes’ irritation.

Liverpool went on to win the game 2-0.

Rodwell’s red card was later rescinded, and Moyes has expressed hope that Sunday’s match at Goodison Park will not be tarnished by the same kind of incident.

“People talk about the sendings-off in these derbies (20 of them) without talking about the decisions,” Moyes said.

“Last year’s one was a dive and a really poor decision by the referee. It ruined the game.”

Asked if he feared a repeat of Suarez’s antics on Sunday, Moyes said: “I do because I think he (Suarez) has got history. But I’m not the referee.

“We’ve got to be careful. People are going to turn away from football if they continue to go to watch people who throw themselves on the ground when they’re not touched.

“I think it’s important you do get someone who’s strong enough to identify what are the right challenges and the wrong ones and, in last year’s game, we got really badly done by a terrible refereeing decision.”