Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has urged his players to stake their claim for a place in this weekend's FA Cup final. The Reds face Fulham at Anfield on Tuesday but the most significant game in terms of their season is the Wembley encounter against Chelsea four days later. Dalglish is usually adamant he and his players focus on the next match only, but even he has hinted he may pick his team to face the Cottagers with one eye on the final, in which Liverpool could win their second trophy of the campaign.
"We've said to all of the players we want to give you the best possible chance to be available for selection on Saturday," said the Scot. "We want the strongest possible squad we can to pick from for Saturday's game, and there are many ways we can do it. "If someone needs a break we'll give them a break and if someone needs a game we will give them a game, because every single one of them are more than capable of playing in a cup final for this club. "It's going to be a difficult selection as it always is but it's a difficult selection for Tuesday night as well. Everybody will be treated fairly and equally and everybody will be allowed to put their CV in for selection on Saturday." Striker Andy Carroll has recovered from the injury which meant he missed Saturday's victory at Norwich and is available for selection . The club's record signing was left out because of a minor groin complaint but returned to training on Monday.
Fulham were on Monday still waiting to learn whether Martin Jol would be forced to sit out their second match on Merseyside in four days. Jol did not travel with the team for the game at Anfield after missing Saturday's defeat at Everton with a chest infection. The Dutchman's presence appeared to be badly missed at Goodison Park as the Cottagers crashed to their heaviest away defeat since he was appointed manager last summer. First-team coach Billy McKinlay will once again take charge on Tuesday if Jol is deemed not fit to link up with the squad during the next 24 hours. Regardless of who is in the dugout, Fulham's Belgian playmaker Mousa Dembele believes a famous scalp is there for the taking, as well as an immediate chance to put things right on Merseyside.
"We can go level on points with Liverpool with a win, which is why I am so hungry to beat them," he told the Cottagers' official website, www.fulhamfc.com. "We want to prove ourselves when we go back up to Liverpool because the Everton game was not our best performance. "We still aim to finish above Liverpool so now is our chance to show them that we can. If we want to do that, we have to win this game and give ourselves the best chance of catching them in the league." Andy Johnson is a doubt for the match. Striker Johnson missed Saturday's 4-0 thrashing at Everton with an adductor injury and was not expected to recover in time. Stephen Kelly may also have to wait before making his comeback, while winger Bryan Ruiz (foot), Steve Sidwell (hernia) and Zdenek Grygera (knee) are long-term absentees.
Liverpool V Fulham - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game live.
Source: PA
