Kenny Dalglish expects the lure of a cup final to concentrate minds wonderfully at Anfield despite the dramatic distractions of recent days, writes David Maddock.
The Luis Suarez affair has cast a deep shadow over the club, and the subdued display at Old Trafford last weekend - following the striker's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra - roused fears of a damaging effect on the team.
That's the last thing Liverpool need as they prepare for an FA Cup visit of Championship side Brighton on Sunday that screams of classic giant-killing potential.
Yet the Reds' boss passionately believes his players will instantly rediscover their focus against the south coast minnows - especially with the prize of a spot in his Carling Cup Final starting XI seven days later at stake.
Few places are guaranteed for Wembley and with the prospect of the axe for that meeting with Cardiff a real threat, Dalglish said: "The fifth round of the FA Cup is an important game for everyone - I've got no idea what my team will be for the final the following week.
"If someone plays well against Brighton it gives you a problem for the team the following week. Every day in training if someone does well, or in any game, it never does them any harm.
"The most important thing for us is the strength of the squad we have and then it's a problem for us - or myself - to pick a team.
"The target for us is to progress into the next round of the FA Cup. It's a really important game, then we can think about the team for the final."
One of the largely unexamined side-effects of the Suarez affair has been the impact it's had on morale within Anfield.
When his eight-match ban was announced in December, Liverpool dropped points against strugglers Wigan and Blackburn.
There is too, the distraction of the big games which seems to have cost the Reds this season, most notably when they produced their worst display of the season at Bolton, as minds seemed to wander forward towards huge showdowns with the two Manchester clubs.
Dalglish though, insisted there is no chance any of the off-field concerns will intrude on his side's preparation, because they have learned the painful lesson of previous mishaps.
"Every one of them wants to get into the next round but can't expect that if they repeat the Bolton performance," he explained.
"There's no-one here who enjoyed what happened at Bolton and I wouldn't see any reason why anyone would want to repeat that. I think they have that out of their system now.
"I don't think this is any different to any game, really. They should just relax and play. We know the opposition is going to be strong, well organised and maybe not too adventurous, and we have to be aware."
Suarez looks certain to play, despite the circus that will follow him from now on.
Dalglish is relaxed about that, because he retains a faith in the player's ability to rise above the furore surrounding him and deliver on the pitch, as his past controversies have shown.
And even though Anfield seemed to have been immersed in crisis when Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Evra sent shockwaves around the world last weekend, Dalglish argued his side are in rude health as they aim for success on two cup fronts as well as a top four finish.
"We are in a better position than we were a year ago - we were out of the FA Cup, out of the Carling Cup and tailed off in the league," he pointed out.
"Now we're four points off fourth spot, the fifth round of the FA Cup's coming up and we are in the Carling Cup Final. We still have an awful lot to play for."
He does, though, accept that progress is still required if his side are to emerge as top-level contenders.
"For us, if we could put a finish to what we are creating then it would be a really good story," added the Scot.
"Defensively, we are pretty sound - and in most areas of the pitch.
"In most of the cases this season, we have improved the strength of the squad. We have improved defensively.
"We should be saying the same [about the] attacking and we have had plenty of chances. We just have got to put that right."
Dalglish will resist the urge to make major changes to his side, but strikers Andy Carroll and Craig Bellamy could return as he looks to put the lower-division opponents under pressure.
***
FORMER Kop kid Alan Navarro will go down memory lane this weekend as his Brighton side visit Liverpool in the FA Cup.
But the midfielder will not get the chance to visit the terraced house next to Anfield that he grew up in before it is demolished in a few months.
Scouser Navarro, a Reds player during the Spice Boys era, said: “I’ve played at Anfield a few times for Liverpool reserves. It’s a top ground.
"The fact I was playing for a club, since I was 13, that I loved so it made it even more special for me.”
And the 30-year-old fancies the Seagulls’ chances of a giant-killing on Sunday.
Navarro said: “We go into the game exactly the same as we did against Newcastle [who Brighton beat in the last round] and Sunderland [who they beat in the Carling Cup earlier in the season] - to try to make it hard for them.
"Who knows what can happen over the 90 minutes? We’ve done it against Sunderland and Newcastle this season and there’s no reason why we can’t do it against Liverpool.
“We’re going to go there and will try to be solid and start better than we did against them in the Carling Cup [Brighton lost 2-1 to Liverpool at home], and then see how it goes.”
It is all a remarkable turnaround for a player who feared his career was over after a knee ligament injury all but wiped out last season.
Navarro said: “I could have been sitting at home on the couch, watching it on telly and doing nothing, because no club might have given me a chance after the injury, but I worked hard and the gaffer here gave me a chance.
"The fitness team and the physios worked with me and now I’m getting my rewards. I cherish every minute.”
MirrorFootball
The Luis Suarez affair has cast a deep shadow over the club, and the subdued display at Old Trafford last weekend - following the striker's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra - roused fears of a damaging effect on the team.
That's the last thing Liverpool need as they prepare for an FA Cup visit of Championship side Brighton on Sunday that screams of classic giant-killing potential.
Yet the Reds' boss passionately believes his players will instantly rediscover their focus against the south coast minnows - especially with the prize of a spot in his Carling Cup Final starting XI seven days later at stake.
Few places are guaranteed for Wembley and with the prospect of the axe for that meeting with Cardiff a real threat, Dalglish said: "The fifth round of the FA Cup is an important game for everyone - I've got no idea what my team will be for the final the following week.
"If someone plays well against Brighton it gives you a problem for the team the following week. Every day in training if someone does well, or in any game, it never does them any harm.
"The most important thing for us is the strength of the squad we have and then it's a problem for us - or myself - to pick a team.
"The target for us is to progress into the next round of the FA Cup. It's a really important game, then we can think about the team for the final."
One of the largely unexamined side-effects of the Suarez affair has been the impact it's had on morale within Anfield.
When his eight-match ban was announced in December, Liverpool dropped points against strugglers Wigan and Blackburn.
There is too, the distraction of the big games which seems to have cost the Reds this season, most notably when they produced their worst display of the season at Bolton, as minds seemed to wander forward towards huge showdowns with the two Manchester clubs.
Dalglish though, insisted there is no chance any of the off-field concerns will intrude on his side's preparation, because they have learned the painful lesson of previous mishaps.
"Every one of them wants to get into the next round but can't expect that if they repeat the Bolton performance," he explained.
"There's no-one here who enjoyed what happened at Bolton and I wouldn't see any reason why anyone would want to repeat that. I think they have that out of their system now.
"I don't think this is any different to any game, really. They should just relax and play. We know the opposition is going to be strong, well organised and maybe not too adventurous, and we have to be aware."
Suarez looks certain to play, despite the circus that will follow him from now on.
Dalglish is relaxed about that, because he retains a faith in the player's ability to rise above the furore surrounding him and deliver on the pitch, as his past controversies have shown.
And even though Anfield seemed to have been immersed in crisis when Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Evra sent shockwaves around the world last weekend, Dalglish argued his side are in rude health as they aim for success on two cup fronts as well as a top four finish.
"We are in a better position than we were a year ago - we were out of the FA Cup, out of the Carling Cup and tailed off in the league," he pointed out.
"Now we're four points off fourth spot, the fifth round of the FA Cup's coming up and we are in the Carling Cup Final. We still have an awful lot to play for."
He does, though, accept that progress is still required if his side are to emerge as top-level contenders.
"For us, if we could put a finish to what we are creating then it would be a really good story," added the Scot.
"Defensively, we are pretty sound - and in most areas of the pitch.
"In most of the cases this season, we have improved the strength of the squad. We have improved defensively.
"We should be saying the same [about the] attacking and we have had plenty of chances. We just have got to put that right."
Dalglish will resist the urge to make major changes to his side, but strikers Andy Carroll and Craig Bellamy could return as he looks to put the lower-division opponents under pressure.
***
FORMER Kop kid Alan Navarro will go down memory lane this weekend as his Brighton side visit Liverpool in the FA Cup.
But the midfielder will not get the chance to visit the terraced house next to Anfield that he grew up in before it is demolished in a few months.
Scouser Navarro, a Reds player during the Spice Boys era, said: “I’ve played at Anfield a few times for Liverpool reserves. It’s a top ground.
"The fact I was playing for a club, since I was 13, that I loved so it made it even more special for me.”
And the 30-year-old fancies the Seagulls’ chances of a giant-killing on Sunday.
Navarro said: “We go into the game exactly the same as we did against Newcastle [who Brighton beat in the last round] and Sunderland [who they beat in the Carling Cup earlier in the season] - to try to make it hard for them.
"Who knows what can happen over the 90 minutes? We’ve done it against Sunderland and Newcastle this season and there’s no reason why we can’t do it against Liverpool.
“We’re going to go there and will try to be solid and start better than we did against them in the Carling Cup [Brighton lost 2-1 to Liverpool at home], and then see how it goes.”
It is all a remarkable turnaround for a player who feared his career was over after a knee ligament injury all but wiped out last season.
Navarro said: “I could have been sitting at home on the couch, watching it on telly and doing nothing, because no club might have given me a chance after the injury, but I worked hard and the gaffer here gave me a chance.
"The fitness team and the physios worked with me and now I’m getting my rewards. I cherish every minute.”
MirrorFootball
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