Jonjoe Kenny is eagerly anticipating his first taste of a Glasgow Derby this weekend and believes getting the balance right between passion and focus will be key to victory.

For Kenny, the game will be his first experience of the fixture but the Everton defender has previous derby experience to draw on and insists the pressure will only bring the best out in him.

“Everyone here knows what a derby’s like,” said the 24-year-old in an exclusive interview with the official match programme. “All the players here have played in some sort of derby but I know this is one of the biggest derbies in the world. I’m really looking forward to this and it’ll be another big moment in my career. I can’t wait to get going. All the players know what this is about and the build-up to it.

'You need to try and not get too emotional and be as calm-headed as possible which is difficult to do knowing how big the game is and what it means to people around the club.'

“In Liverpool, the Merseyside Derby was massive for me growing up and I’ve learned to be as calm as possible and enjoy the moment. You don’t have to think about the game too much leading up to it and that can be hard because it’s well documented. You’ve got to take it day by day and enjoy the occasion.

“I didn’t see the game in January but I don’t think you need to think about it too much. You know what it’s about and you just need to focus on you, to go out there and show people what we’re about and how good we can be.”

And while fans will be cheering on the Hoops from the safety of their homes this Sunday, the Hoops defender said it is important he and his team-mates embody the same level of passion as if the fans were in attendance.

“For me, as a player, I thrive off fans, especially being at home,” he said. “What the fans bring is massive, and the fanbase here is huge. I’ve seen videos of the atmosphere and fans signing before the game and during it.

“I’ve seen how good the atmosphere is and the fans make up a massive part of the game. However, although we can’t benefit from their support right now, it’s important we still bring that passion into the game while keeping cool at the same time.”

Jonjoe Kenny: We have to balance passion with a cool head in Glasgow Derby