Liverpool legend Ian Rush feels the performances of Rafael Benitez's fringe players will decide their future in the Carling Cup as they prepare to face holders Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.
Rush and former Spurs captain Alan Mullery spoke to Sky Sports News about the fourth round game, and although Liverpool may include Fernando Torres after six matches out with a hamstring injury, Steven Gerrard and Jose Reina are set for a well-earned rest.
That will put pressure on the likes of Diego Cavalleri, Sami Hyypia, Lucas and Ryan Babel, who could do their chances of a run in the first-team plenty of good with a positive display.
Rush explained: "I think Harry (Redknapp) will play his strongest side - he will be looking at it as a chance to that Tottenham can get into Europe. They are the defending champions so I think Tottenham will take it very seriously.
"Apart from the top four, and obviously they have a stronger squad to play certain players in these games, the likes of Tottenham and everyone else will play a strong side.
"I think what Rafa will do is give these fringe players a chance to show what they can do. I think to win the league it's not 11 players that win it, it's 19-20, and what Rafa will be doing now is to say to these players here's your chance to prove you are good enough to play against Premier League opposition.
"I think he'll be looking to them to do that and if they can they give the manager a problem when it comes to league games, it's a great chance for them.
Rush also paid tribute to Robbie Keane after his weekend double against West Brom, although the former Spurs hero is one of Benitez's regulars who will not be in the squad on Wednesday.
He added: "He's a fantastic player. I think his work-rate is unbelievable. He hadn't scored before the weekend, but with Liverpool winning, they were looking at his work-rate.
"It's only when you are losing that people look at the strikers, but I think he's worth every penny Liverpool paid for him and I think he will get better and better."
Mullery feels Harry Redknapp has been little short of a miracle worker so far for Spurs, but wonders if he will get the same sort of luck he enjoyed when the two clubs met 10 days ago, a game in which Liverpool hit the woodwork three times, missed a host of chances, and went on to lose 2-1.
Mullery explained: "If you go back to the Liverpool game in the league, I bumped into Jamie Redknapp and he said to me 'What do you think Alan?' I said 'Do you want the truth? I think we should have been four down at half-time.'
"He said 'I don't agree with you' and I thought there was going to be an argument, but he then said: 'No, it should have been five!'
"We had all the luck that was going, it was absolutely amazing, and also for Pavlyuchenko to come on at half-time and score the winning goal in the 93rd minute was just amazing.
"Liverpool on the day were outstanding, I thought they looked a very very good side and if they'd have scored the goals - and the biggest word in football is if - which they didn't, then Spurs go and get the winning goal.
"I hope Harry doesn't change his side and picks the players he has been using recently, but Liverpool will definitely change their team, there's no doubt about that."
Rush and former Spurs captain Alan Mullery spoke to Sky Sports News about the fourth round game, and although Liverpool may include Fernando Torres after six matches out with a hamstring injury, Steven Gerrard and Jose Reina are set for a well-earned rest.
That will put pressure on the likes of Diego Cavalleri, Sami Hyypia, Lucas and Ryan Babel, who could do their chances of a run in the first-team plenty of good with a positive display.
Rush explained: "I think Harry (Redknapp) will play his strongest side - he will be looking at it as a chance to that Tottenham can get into Europe. They are the defending champions so I think Tottenham will take it very seriously.
"Apart from the top four, and obviously they have a stronger squad to play certain players in these games, the likes of Tottenham and everyone else will play a strong side.
"I think what Rafa will do is give these fringe players a chance to show what they can do. I think to win the league it's not 11 players that win it, it's 19-20, and what Rafa will be doing now is to say to these players here's your chance to prove you are good enough to play against Premier League opposition.
"I think he'll be looking to them to do that and if they can they give the manager a problem when it comes to league games, it's a great chance for them.
Rush also paid tribute to Robbie Keane after his weekend double against West Brom, although the former Spurs hero is one of Benitez's regulars who will not be in the squad on Wednesday.
He added: "He's a fantastic player. I think his work-rate is unbelievable. He hadn't scored before the weekend, but with Liverpool winning, they were looking at his work-rate.
"It's only when you are losing that people look at the strikers, but I think he's worth every penny Liverpool paid for him and I think he will get better and better."
Mullery feels Harry Redknapp has been little short of a miracle worker so far for Spurs, but wonders if he will get the same sort of luck he enjoyed when the two clubs met 10 days ago, a game in which Liverpool hit the woodwork three times, missed a host of chances, and went on to lose 2-1.
Mullery explained: "If you go back to the Liverpool game in the league, I bumped into Jamie Redknapp and he said to me 'What do you think Alan?' I said 'Do you want the truth? I think we should have been four down at half-time.'
"He said 'I don't agree with you' and I thought there was going to be an argument, but he then said: 'No, it should have been five!'
"We had all the luck that was going, it was absolutely amazing, and also for Pavlyuchenko to come on at half-time and score the winning goal in the 93rd minute was just amazing.
"Liverpool on the day were outstanding, I thought they looked a very very good side and if they'd have scored the goals - and the biggest word in football is if - which they didn't, then Spurs go and get the winning goal.
"I hope Harry doesn't change his side and picks the players he has been using recently, but Liverpool will definitely change their team, there's no doubt about that."
No comments:
Post a Comment