Liverpool to forget Wembley derby date for now - Dalglish

30 March 2012 07:46

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish insists their impending Wembley FA Cup semi-final with Everton will not be a distraction as they try to get results back on track.

Five defeats in six league matches has seen some critics suggest the players have all but given up on fourth place to focus instead on the knock-out competition.

"I'm not obsessed with anything other than the next game," said Dalglish.

Everton have set up a first Wembley meeting since 1989, when Liverpool won the FA Cup with a 3-2 extra-time victory, external focus has been sharpened on the game in just over a fortnight's time.

But Dalglish said that was not the case inside the club's Melwood training ground, where the concentration has been on finding a way to halt the disappointing run of results which has seen the Reds register just two league wins in 2012.

And that starts at Newcastle, eight points above them in sixth, on Sunday.

"The game is two weeks away so I am sure there will be a lot of conversations about Everton nearer the time," said the Scot.

"It was a fantastic result for Everton. They played really well at Sunderland and I think they thoroughly deserved to go through.

"But for us the most important game right at this particular moment in time is Newcastle. We will play Newcastle first and take it from there.

"The semi-final against Everton will be covered when it needs to be covered and we won't be getting ahead of ourselves."

Source: PA