• Premier League

Dalglish backs Reds to keep derby discipline

Charlie Adam was sent off at Tottenham © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Anzhi consider offers for Lampard, Gerrard & Capello
  
• News: Shelvey heads to Blackpool on loan
  

More than two decades after his last match as Liverpool boss at Goodison Park, Kenny Dalglish says he is excited about the prospect of stepping back into the lion's den for Saturday's Merseyside derby, and he has backed his players to keep their discipline.

Liverpool's 4-4 draw with Everton in February 1991 was the final match of Dalglish's first tenure as Reds manager, with the Scot quitting his post a couple of days after the FA Cup clash.

Two decades on and Dalglish, back in the Anfield hotseat, takes Liverpool back to Goodison Park for the first Merseyside derby of the season - hoping that his side can go one step better than they did both in 1991 and earlier this year, when the two clubs shared the points.

"The competition is still as intense and the desire to win is the same as before,'' Dalglish said. "I don't think it has devalued - it doesn't matter how long ago it was you have been involved or not or how recently.

"It is a Merseyside derby and like everyone who has been involved in it they think it is the most important one. But people in Birmingham think theirs is the biggest, Rangers and Celtic think theirs is the biggest - and they are right.

"This is the biggest one because this is the one I am involved in. There is no point in having a league table of clubs you are not involved with.''

Asked about his memories of the 4-4 draw at Goodison Park and the fall-out from it Dalglish, added: "We've been through all that many times before and there is no point in revisiting it. But if we get four goals on Saturday I'll be delighted. If we get four it will be entertaining but I don't think it will be entertaining for the blue half.''

A number of new faces will get their first taste of the Merseyside derby this weekend and Dalglish has backed Charlie Adam, Jose Enrique, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and January signing Andy Carroll to thrive on the occasion. Having had two men sent off in the recent 4-0 loss to Tottenham, the Reds boss believes his men all have the necessary experience to cope with the derby occasion.

"We know what a victory in the derby means to the people of Liverpool and how much elation the players get from it," Dalglish said. "There are players who have not played in it before who may play on Saturday but I am sure they understand what it stands for.

"I think the Rangers-Celtic derby has given Charlie a good grounding, Andy has had the north-east derby and Stewart has had Villa-Birmingham - which is not the smallest. They may not have experienced this derby but they have all experienced a derby of some sorts.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.