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Toon abuse is a compliment, Dalglish tells Carroll

Andy Carroll enjoyed a cult following at St James' Park before his transfer to Liverpool © Getty Images

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Kenny Dalglish believes any abuse Andy Carroll receives at the hands of the Newcastle fans on Sunday merely shows how much the striker meant to the Magpies faithful.

Liverpool's £35 million signing is hoping to shake off a knee injury in order to face his old club, and Dalglish has warned Carroll he may receive a hostile reception.

However, former Newcastle boss Dalglish is convinced that any insults from travelling Magpies fans only proves how devastated they were when the striker switched to Anfield in January.

"They will react in whatever way they want and it is a compliment in a strange way, if you do get abuse, because it means you must have been important to them," Dalglish said in the Daily Mirror.

"I think the boy is expecting something, but it won't take away from what he has done for their football club and it won't take away what the football club meant to Andy. I don't know what they will do on Sunday but if, as a player, you don't get abuse off your old supporters then they can't have been too disappointed you left.

"I'm sure when Newcastle signed Alan Shearer they didn't give too much consideration to Blackburn Rovers fans, but that's football. What goes around comes around."

Dalglish will give Carroll every chance to prove his fitness before Sunday, but has warned the striker he will not risk his long-term fitness in order to let him face his boyhood club. And despite struggling with injury since his move to Merseyside, Dalglish expects Carroll to finish the season on a high.

"If it's the case that Andy will get better next season, then we've got a lot to look forward to - but I wouldn't be writing off this season for Andy though," Dalglish said. "We've been delighted with the way he's gone about his rehabilitation and his performances in the games.

"Unfortunately after scoring the two goals against Manchester City he picked up an injury so we just have to wait and see if he is going to play on Sunday. If he's not fit then he will be fit for the next game. He's got a bit of mileage left to go in this season yet."

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