Liverpool v Fulham:KENNY DALGLISH believes the return of Steven Gerrard will provide added impetus when Liverpool attempt to record back-to-back league wins for the first time in over two months against Fulham tonight.
There is a genuine mutual appreciation society between the Liverpool manager and captain, who is available after serving the three-match suspension he collected 32 minutes into Dalglish’s first game in charge, the FA Cup defeat at Manchester United.
Gerrard’s 383rd league game will be his first for his Liverpool idol tonight and Dalglish is confident the midfielder will add to the momentum of improving performances and the first victory of his second tenure, Saturday’s 3-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“He’s a Liverpool boy. He’s given everything to this club and will continue to,” said the Liverpool manager. “There is absolutely no doubt about that. Others can judge what level it’s on. For me he’s been absolutely fantastic for us and will carry on being so. We’re just happy to have him.”
Liverpool have not won successive league games since beating Blackburn, Bolton and Chelsea in October and early November.
“It’s just great to have our captain back,” he said. “Everybody will be delighted to see him back. The whole place will get a lift – the punters, the players and the staff will get a lift.”
Fulham manager Mark Hughes, for his part, says the club will travel to Merseyside with confidence after taking 10 points from an available 15 to move up to 14th place in the Premier League table but he is wary of the Dalglish factor.
“Kenny’s gone in and he’s a huge figure there,” Hughes said. “Everybody seems to be back on board, which wasn’t the case before. But we can go there and play well because we have the ability to cause them problems.”
Guardian Service
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