Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has insisted no player is bigger than the club as he heads to Blackpool for Wednesday night's Barclays Premier League clash without suspended captain Steven Gerrard.
The England midfielder was sent off in Sunday's FA Cup exit at Manchester United and is now serving a three-match ban which will also mean he misses this weekend's Merseyside derby at home to Everton.
"Any team which has Steven Gerrard in it is going to be much better than one without it," said Dalglish, who takes charge of his first Barclays Premier League match since taking over from Roy Hodgson. "But we have to get on with it and the most important people for us are the ones which are available, not the ones who are unavailable because they can't dictate the result of games."
He added: "We will concentrate on the ones we do have, without being disrespectful to the ones who are not there."
Dalglish also stressed everyone was treated the same, which meant Fernando Torres would not get any special attention as they try to get their star striker scoring again.
The Spain international has scored just six times in 22 matches and only once in his last eight games this season.
"In the games I've been in charge he has been brilliant," joked Dalglish. "It is strange when you talk about people of his calibre having a lack of confidence but at the same time he is still a top goalscorer and someone everyone fears when he goes on the pitch.
"We will do our best to get as much as we possibly can from Fernando, the same as we will do for every other player.
"This club has never been about one individual, it has been about a collection and a team and we are a team.
"It is up to us to try to help Fernando as much as we possibly can and also help each other."
Source: PA
