Dalglish Welcomes Johnson Back

Kenny Dalglish is delighted to have Glen Johnson back in his plans, with the full-back having made his Premier League return on Saturday.

With just nine minutes of top flight action under his belt prior to the weekend, Johnson came through a 90-minute outing against Norwich unscathed.

The England international has handed Dalglish something of a selection dilemma at right-back, with Martin Kelly having shone in his absence, but the Scot is delighted to have such strength in depth.

"It's great to have him (Johnson) back," the Reds boss told the club's official website.

"It's a wee bit unfortunate on Martin Kelly that Glen went in and played, but it just shows you the quality of people we have in the squad and that's what we want.

"Glen certainly did well and it might have been a wee bit of a risk to put him back in as early as that, but he had around 65 minutes at Ibrox (against Rangers) and that helped him.

"We're delighted to see him back and also have a wee bit of heavy heart for Kells as well."

Johnson and Kelly will be vying for a starting berth once again in midweek, with Liverpool set to face Stoke in the Carling Cup fourth round on Wednesday.

The Reds have seen off Exeter and Brighton in the competition so far this term and Dalglish is planning to stick with a winning formula.

He said: "I think we've said after both games about the players' attitude and commitment.

"We've made several changes for both games - and the way they went about their work was a great reflection on the pride they have in themselves and also the football club.

"It will be the same for us at Stoke. They are a Premier League club and we'll put a very strong team out again - and we expect the same level of commitment and effort from the players.

"We cannot guarantee anything other than we're going to work hard to try and get a result - and we don't try and kid anybody that we're trying to underestimate the tournament.

"We take it seriously and we'll be going to try and get a result. It's a trophy - and we'd love to win a trophy at some stage."

Liverpool are close to full strength ahead of their date with the Potters, with back-up keeper Alexander Doni set to figure despite dislocating his finger in a friendly date with Rangers last week.

The Scot said: "It's more or less the same as what we had before. Danny Wilson and Jack Robinson are the only two, and Brad Jones has a thigh injury.

Liverpool Leading The Chase To Sign Swedish Defender

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is preparing to make a move for highly rated AIK defender Alex Milosevic, according to reports in the Scottish Sun.

Milosevic is regarded as one of the hottest young prospects in Europe and a host of Premier League clubs including Tottenham and Arsenal are keeping tabs on the defender as well as Scottish giants Celtic and Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen.

However it is believed that Liverpool is leading the race to acquire the 19-year-old's signature.

Speaking about the interest in Milosevic, Jens Andersson an AIK spokesman said: "Alex is a player who has created a lot of interest.

"Out of respect for the clubs, I won't talk about them by name. But there is a lot of interest in him around Europe.

"He's still under contract with us, but football is a business."

It is believed that a bid of around £2million will be enough for Liverpool to land the services of Milosevic, who has represented the Sweden Under 21's on six occasions and it is felt Dalglish is preparing to make a move when the January transfer window opens.

Liverpool Set To Miss Out On South American Starlet

Liverpool look set to miss out on the signing of Peru teenage sensation Andy Polo after his agent revealed he is set for a move to Germany.

Polo, just 17, is rated one of the best young talents in South America and has been strongly linked with a move to England following his superb displays for his club side Universitario de Deportes.

But Liverpool will have to look elsewhere after his agent Borja Gonzalez revealed that he should complete a move to Hamburg or Shalke in the next 48 hours.

Gonzalez said: "There are two clubs in Germany who are very interested in Andy and there is a very close agreement.

"In the next 48 hours they have to call me and tell me they want to do the deal. If all goes well on Thursday or Friday we should be close. Andy Polo will play in Europe next year."

Spearing Targets Reds Recall

Jay Spearing has vowed to win his place back in the Liverpool side and insists he is ready to face Stoke in the Carling Cup if selected.

The miniature dynamo has seen his chances in midfield restricted this term, as Kenny Dalglish recruited a number of players who could play in that position over the summer.

However, the intensity of his training levels has not dropped as he bids to prove he is deserving of a place in the team.

"It has been a mixed season for me so far," Spearing said ahead of Wednesday's game against Stoke.

"With the new players that have come in I haven't had as many chances as I would have liked, but at the end of the day it's down to me to keep working hard every day in training, and show the manager I deserve a chance when the time comes.

"I have to look at the positive side of things. The boss has put me on the bench for every Premier League game so far and I have played in the Carling Cup games, so I can't complain about that."

Spearing could be selected for the fourth round Carling Cup clash as Dalglish seeks to reinvigorate the team after their 1-1 draw with Norwich at Anfield.

He added: "I've got to do everything I can in training to show the boss I am ready if he needs me to play against Stoke.

"If I do get the chance to play it will be a massive game for me.

"They have a lot of six-foot-plus lads in their team and it's a chance for me to show that I can be put up against anyone, of stature and size, whoever, and do a good job for the team."

Kenny Hails Bellamy Maturity

Craig Bellamy has earned praise for his attitude from Kenny Dalglish as he settles into his second stint at Liverpool.

The Welsh striker rejoined the Reds over the summer following a spell with Manchester City, and is now looking to establish himself as a key player in the side.

He has not been playing regularly so far this term, although he did start against Norwich on Saturday and scored in a 1-1 draw.

Dalglish insists Bellamy has not been getting down about his lack of playing time, and has instead been showing a great level of maturity.

The 32-year-old struggled with this aspect of his game during a season at Anfield earlier in his career, and Dalglish has been impressed with how far he has come.

"Craig is more mature and better educated now," the Liverpool boss said in the Daily Star.

"He would be happier if he was playing more, but he understands the situation maybe more than when he was younger.

"He knows everyone respects him here and that is a big thing for him."

Bellamy could be given another run-out on Wednesday night when Liverpool travel to Stoke for a Carling Cup fourth round tie.

Dalglish said: "We have put out strong Carling Cup teams and it will be the same at Stoke."

Gerrard Behind Harry For England

Steven Gerrard believes Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has proved himself a worthy candidate to succeed Fabio Capello as England manager next year.

Capello will step down from the post after the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine next summer, having taken the helm in 2008.

Three Lions midfielder Gerrard believes the Football Association should appoint an English manager in his place, with Redknapp already tipped as a favourite for the role.

And the Liverpool captain feels the Spurs boss, as well as "two or three" other English candidates, would be a good fit.

"There are very good English managers out there," Gerrard, who was speaking on behalf of the England Footballers Foundation at an event at Knowsley Safari Park, told Sky Sports News.

"Harry Redknapp's name crops up a lot and he's done an unbelievable job. I don't think he gets the credit he deserves for what he's done at Tottenham.

"There's also maybe two or three other candidates along with Harry.

"I don't see why we should have to look abroad if the English managers are good enough to do it, which I believe they are.

"But, for me, it's always the case of picking the best manager that can bring success for the country."

Gerrard is hoping England can give Capello a good send-off by doing well at the Euros after a woeful World Cup campaign last summer.

"I've enjoyed working with Fabio since he's been here," he said.

"If I'm selected to go in the summer my attitude will be to give everything for the manager knowing that it is his last tournament.

"They'll be nothing better than to send him away with a smile on his face and have a successful tournament."

He added: "For the players and the staff at this level you've always got to treat a tournament like it is your last one because you never know if you're going to be involved two years or four years down the line.

"As far as your performances go you've got to try and leave everything out there and give everything you've got."

The Reds skipper hopes the mix of youth and experience in Capello's squad will stand them in good stead for the tournament.

He said: "There's a fine blend of young, exciting players coming through and there's still some good old ones about as well so hopefully we've got the right balance in the squad going into the summer tournament."

Flanno Goes Back To His Roots

Jon Flanagan was the guest of honour as Liverpool FC's half-term soccer school kicked off in style at the Academy on Monday afternoon.

The full-back joined star-struck youngsters for a fun-packed session as he became the first player to officially make an appearance at one of the events.

The 18-year-old hot-footed it to Kirkby from a pre-Stoke City training session at Melwood and was keen to tell Liverpoolfc.tv just why he felt privileged to have been invited along.

Flanagan said: "It's a great feeling to be back here where it all started for me. These soccer schools are a fantastic way for young kids to develop their skills as a footballer.

"I'd have loved to have come along to one of these when I was a little lad. This is the only soccer school that is based at a football club's Academy and the facilities here are exceptional.

"I just hope they all enjoy it and go away from the course having learned something."

Flanagan's appearance capped a great start to a three-day course that caters for children aged from five-14 years.

Head coach for Liverpool's international football academy soccer schools, Adam Flynn was delighted to welcome the England U21 star and claimed it would be a day the youngsters would always remember.

"Jon is the first first-team player to make an official appearance at our soccer school," he said. "It was fantastic that he put aside the time to come down and impart some words of wisdom to the young kids.

"I think he has been here since the age of eight so it's nice that he is coming back to the place where it all began for him and is helping to make it a special day for these aspiring youngsters.

"He's a fantastic role model for them and embodies what our message is all about; to enjoy playing football and to give it your all. If we can pass on the Liverpool way to these kids then we are doing our job right."

Chinese Duo Make Their Mark

Academy manager Steve Cooper has heaped praise on the Chinese duo currently enjoying a week-long trial at Liverpool.

Long Chen, 16, and Chen Xiao Mao, 14, have already made their mark on the training pitch and Cooper admits he has been pleasantly surprised by what they have been able to offer.

Cooper told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It's been a pleasure to work with them to be honest. They are two good lads.

"First and foremost, they've done everybody associated with them proud with the way they have conducted themselves.

"They've done well on the training pitch too. Obviously there is a bit of language barrier, but they've got around that and got heavily involved in our training sessions.

"Technically they are both more than competent. They may be different in stature - one is quite tall and one is quite small - but they both have physical attributes and they are good players, there's no doubt about that.

"Our lads have welcomed them too. The Chinese boys speak very little English but they've still got involved and made a good impression."

He added: "They've got a few days left of their trial and we are still very much looking at them.

"Stuart (Webber), Frank (McParland) and Damien (Comolli) will all want our opinions from a coaching point of view and then they will make any decisions accordingly.

"It has been very interesting to take a look at them and you can see why the two lads were brought in to begin with."

Kenny Dalglish Encouraged By Liverpool Performance

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is taking heart from the number of chances his side created against Norwich, despite the fact that most of them went unconverted.

The Reds squandered a host of goalscoring opportunities as they were held to a 1-1 draw by the Canaries at Anfield.

It meant Liverpool lost ground on the top four in the Barclays Premier League, but Dalglish is determined to focus on the positives.

"I think we've been brilliant in creating the chances," Dalglish told www.liverpoolfc.tv.

"It's a huge pleasure for us that we're creating that many chances. So we'll look at the positives.

"The finishing side? Obviously we've got to add to it.

"But when you look at the facts and figures and reflect on what they've actually done and what they've actually created, you wouldn't bet against scoring five or six on any given day."

A definite bonus for the Merseyside outfit is the return to fitness of club captain Steven Gerrard, whose start in the Norwich game was his second since making his comeback after a six-month period sidelined by groin problems.

Gerrard has spoken of his appreciation at receiving a visit from the club's owners Fenway Sports Group during his time out of action, and the 31-year-old feels the Americans have done a good job over the year that they have been in control of Liverpool.

"It's been a good 12 months on the pitch and off the pitch," Gerrard told LFC Magazine.

"They've stabilized the club and certainly put the money in. They've backed the manager and (director of football) Damien Comolli. They've been very supportive of the team.

"I thought it was a brilliant touch for them to come and visit me in the hospital when I had my infection.

"I was very low at the time but they called me and made the effort to come and see me. That gave me a huge lift and I was very grateful to them for it."

Gerrard Sets Sights On Trophies

Steven Gerrard admits he would like nothing more than to compete in the UEFA Champions League next season, but insists that a top-four finish will not be Liverpool's sole focus this year.

The Reds captain, who recently returned from a prolonged spell on the sidelines at Anfield, believes that winning some silverware this year is just as important as securing a return to Europe's elite competition.

"Getting back in the top four is a priority, but I wouldn't say it's our only priority," Gerrard told LFC Magazine. "Bringing those European nights back to Anfield is what we all want.

"Some of the best nights of my career have been in the Champions League and I want to experience a few more before I eventually hang up my boots.

"It's difficult to watch it on TV on a Tuesday or Wednesday night knowing we are not involved. Everyone here is striving to get back there and the sooner it happens the better."

As Liverpool prepare for a midweek Carling Cup encounter with Stoke City, Gerrard reiterated the club's desire to improve on all fronts this term, and is targeting progression to the quarter finals.

"At the same time it's about trophies for me and I see the FA Cup and Carling Cup as also being very important," he continued. "Because we are only involved in three competitions we have to focus on all of them.

"There is no European football so you can afford to focus more on the Carling Cup. We haven't done well in any of the cups domestically since 2006.

"It's time we gave the fans a bit of excitement again. They deserve it and there would be nothing better than going to Wembley. That would be fantastic for everyone."

Dalglish Wants Germany Playmaker At Anfield In January

It seems Werder Bremen midfielder Marko Marin has become one of the most wanted players in Europe after it was revealed that Liverpool are the latest club keeping tabs on the diminutive playmaker.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea have already checked on the availability of the German international and now Liverpool have emerged as candidates to sign Marin.

Liverpool were one of the busiest teams in the summer transfer window, but it seems that manager Kenny Dalglish is still not happy with his squad and is ready to spend in the New Year.

Dalglish watched his Liverpool side dominate possession at the weekend against Norwich but fail to convert a number of chances and ended up drawing the game 1-1.

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are interested in bringing the 22-year-old to Anfield and may attempt to beat their Premier League rivals to the players signature in January.

Bremen signed Marin from fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach for €8.5million in the summer of 2009 and became an instant hit with the fans for his impressive displays.

Marin has also become a regular for Germany under Joachim Low and has already made 16 appearances for his country, scoring one goal.

Likened to Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil, Liverpool will face plenty of competition for the attacking midfielder and would certainly have to make a substantial offer to Bremen to convince them to part with their star player.

Liverpool & Man United Told €22m Enough To Land Dutch Striker

Liverpool and Manchester United will be on alert after recent comments made by the agent of Ricky van Wolfswinkel with regards to the buy-out clause in his contract.

Various reports have linked the Sporting Lisbon striker with a move to the Premier League despite only arriving in Portugal this summer. His early form for Sporting, where he has scored four goals in six appearances, has reportedly alerted United and Liverpool.

Understandably, Sporting are unwilling to sell van Wolfswinkel, however, his agent Loius Laros has revealed that a €22m buy-out clause does exist in his contract and any club wanting his services will have to match that figure.

"Portuguese talk about an extended contract is premature," said Laros. "The commitment of Van Wolfswinkel runs until 2016, but he does have a clause.

"With a bid of €22m he can leave Sporting.

Enrique - Suarez Is No Diver

Liverpool defender Jose Enrique insists his club team-mate Luis Suarez is not a diver.

The Reds striker endured a frustrating evening against Norwich on Saturday when he came close to scoring on a number of occasions, and was left frustrated when no foul was given after Marc Tierney appeared to bring down the Uruguayan when he was clean through on goal.

Enrique believes Tierney should have been sent off and responded to recent comments from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson that Suarez goes down too easily.

"The truth is that it should have been a red card for their defender because he kicked Luis," Enrique told the Liverpool Echo.

"But I don't think what happened was down to anything that was said last week. Referees sometimes make mistakes like all of us.

"Last week, he (Ferguson) defended his team because we played them. The truth is Luis is a really dangerous player and is a really nice guy. He doesn't dive.

"Some of the Manchester United players (go down like they) dive into the swimming pool. They defend their team, we defend our team - that's normal.

"When you lose two points at home, no-one is positive but Luis did really well. He had a lot of chances and was just unlucky."

On the 1-1 draw with Norwich, Enrique added: "It was frustrating. We created a lot of chances and deserved the three points.

"In the first half we played really well but in the second half they played better than us.

"It is bad luck when you try, try and try but do not score the goals. We have to be more like we were in the first half.

"We respect Norwich and they played well, but against a team like that we have to win if we want to be in the Champions League. We have lost a lot of points like that this season.

"At home we have to win. I hope in the future we will not look back and need these points."

Dalglish's Anti-Technical Tactics Revealed

1980s Liverpool star Gary Gillespie has revealed that when Kenny Dalglish managed the Reds the first time around, the legend learnt that football shouldn’t be over complicated.

Gillespie was part of the multiple-trophy winning side of 1988/89, and the former defender said that while Dalglish was player/manager at Anfield, he preferred a simpler format of coaching.

"When I say this to people they’re amazed: In 8 years at Liverpool, the days we were actually coached I can count on one hand. We were just told to go out and play,” he said.

"At times, the game becomes a little bit too technical and...I think formations sometimes go out the window. Ultimately, with good players in the side...that know the game, and know exactly what they’re doing...they'll find their positions."

"You’ve got to have a structure to work with, but too much is made of it. Within that structure you’ve got to have license, and think since Kenny’s come in, he’s given them a bit more license to express themselves".

Dalglish has been manager at Liverpool again since January, and the club is hoping to make a return to the top four and challenge for top European honours.

While Liverpool suffered a disappointing draw against Norwich on the weekend, the side is currently sixth in the Barclays Premier League table and has enjoyed a much better start to this season than last.

Borrell: Bring On Chelsea

Rodolfo Borrell has set his sights on a first Barclays Premier Reserve League North victory of the season as his Liverpool youngsters prepare to host big-spending Chelsea on Wednesday afternoon.

The Reds' second-string have played just two domestic games so far this term due to their involvement in the NextGen Series tournament.

The Spaniard's fledgling team have come out of both contests empty-handed but he remains confident that facing such a high standard of opposition will eventually pay big dividends for the club's future.

Borrell told Liverpoolfc.tv: "Everyone knows that Chelsea have spent massive money on youngsters over the past few years. That means they are able to bring through players who are competitive but also of a high quality.

"They have used some big name players in their reserves already this season and last week Romelu Lukaku was involved.

"So we know they are a good side and it will be a very good experience for our young team. I think it will be a good contest and we are looking forward to it."

He continued: "It's important to get our first league win. I have always said that winning is important and helps with the development too.

"This season is more of a learning curve for us though, and similar to my first one here where we had young players facing older, more physical opponents.

"They say that if you are good enough, you are old enough - but this is when you have youngsters who are surrounded by players with experience. We do not have that experience in our squad and playing against older sides is really difficult over 90 minutes.

"Each week we must look to progress that little bit more and build on what we are learning. We have belief in our youngsters and know they will develop over the course of this season."

Chelsea aside, Borrell's U19 side remain in the hunt for qualification to the knockout stage of the NextGen Series following Wolfsburg's goalless draw with Group 2 leaders Sporting Lisbon last week.

The tournament has provided Liverpool with a very different challenge to that posed by the domestic league and the former Barcelona man is convinced his charges will benefit from both competitions.

Borrell said: "The difference is very big between the NextGen Series and the domestic league. In Europe you are getting international experience and facing other mentalities but you are also playing against sides of a similar age.

"In the English league we play with an U19 team against some teams who have players who are up to 30-years-old.

"This is how it is in our country and I think there are positives of playing in both competitions for us."

He added: "I think our season has been tough so far, like I predicted in pre-season. It would have been easy to play weaker sides in pre-season and get some wins, but it would not have been the reality when it all started competitively.

"I wanted to have a tough calendar of fixtures right from the very start and I expect that to be the same right the way through the campaign.

"We might struggle in terms of results early on but slowly and surely we will overcome this."

LFC Spread The Word In India

Two intrepid members of the Liverpool FC Foundation will soon be departing for India to send out a very important message to young girls in the city of Mumbai.

Rebecca Hughes and Jade Adekoya will be spreading the word about the Goals 4 Girls project which is an initiative aimed at raising awareness about important social issues, and increasing female participation in football and other sports.

Departing on November 8th, the team will be working with other members of the Liverpool FC Foundation to help improve the lives of the local girls in Mumbai.

LFC Foundation coach Rebecca Hughes said: "Jade and I have been involved in the Goals 4 Girls project from the beginning, it has been about two years now. We are really excited and looking forward to the trip, because it is a very important initiative.

"We have a number of important messages specifically aimed at girls and young women. We want to share and learn from them about important social issues like bullying, drug abuse and image consciousness, and we tell our own stories to give it a personal touch."

Jade Adekoya added: "We will also be doing disability awareness in India which involves blind football and deaf football. We will also be coached in netball by Standard Chartered coaches."

Rishi Jain, Social Inclusion Officer for Liverpool FC, will be joining the girls on their trip and is expecting the Reds to have a big impact in India.

He said: "We are going to link the Goals 4 Girls project with the Standard Chartered Goal program in India.

"It is absolutely brilliant for Liverpool FC to be involved in this, and we are all really looking forward to this trip. The support we get as a department from Standard Chartered is fantastic.

"It's great to be able to go to India and work with girls from different backgrounds and it's going to be a real privilege for everyone involved."

Match Report: Liverpool 1 - 1 Norwich City

Liverpool lost ground on the top four as their leaky defence and a failure to capitalize on numerous opportunities cost them victory at Anfield.

Kenny Dalglish's side hit the woodwork three times among several other chances but had only Craig Bellamy's late first-half goal against his former club to show for their efforts.

And a side which has kept only two clean sheets all season should have known what was coming as a result.

They were punished on the hour when Grant Holt headed home just three minutes after coming off the bench to spoil what would have been perfect story for Bellamy on his first Liverpool start since May 2007.

The Wales international left Carrow Road 11 years ago and on his travels around various clubs in the Premier League spent one season at Anfield.

He admits he returned this summer with unfinished business and appeared to have resumed his mission in ideal fashion with his first league goal of his second spell.

However, what he could not count on was a defence which has so far only kept clean sheets against Arsenal and Everton, both of whom had been reduced to 10 men, and neither of which has been at Anfield.

Norwich were undoubtedly encouraged by this statistic and looked much more of a threat once they had drawn level.

The omens were good for Liverpool before kick-off as they had won their previous four meetings against the Canaries, although the last of those was in January 2005.

Had it not been for the woodwork the Reds would have enjoyed a much more comfortable evening as twice within the opening 12 minutes they came within inches of scoring.

With less than two minutes gone Martin Skrtel's glancing header from Charlie Adam's right-wing corner crashed against the crossbar.

Luis Suarez's first sight of goal saw him uncharacteristically miss the target from the left side of the penalty area with an ambitious shot with the outside of his right foot.

But the Uruguay international's next effort required the combined efforts of John Ruddy and the frame of his goal to prevent him breaking the deadlock.

The Canaries goalkeeper had to be at full stretch to get his fingertips to the shot and deflect the ball onto his left-hand post.

Norwich briefly threatened when Wes Hoolahan's shot and Steve Morison's header were both fumbled by Jose Reina, although in between that Suarez had fired across goal in front of the Kop.

Apart from that brief spell Norwich, who had won three of their last four matches, had to play second fiddle to a Liverpool side who dominated but came up just short in the final third.

But just when it seemed the hosts had failed to take advantage Bellamy struck in first-half added time.

Suarez's nuisance factor in the Norwich defence saw him tussle with Russell Martin, allowing the ball drop to Bellamy on the edge of the area and his low shot took a deflection off Tierney on its way past Ruddy.

The woodwork denied Liverpool for a third time in the 51st minute when Suarez's run left Leon Barnett baffled but the Uruguay international's shot deflected off Martin and onto the post.

However, within three minutes of Holt coming off the bench he had punished the Reds for failing to take their chances.

The striker powered home a 60th-minute header after Reina came for - and missed - Anthony Pilkington's cross with Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson in close attendance.

Holt almost doubled his tally six minutes later but this time Reina dealt with his far-post header and, as the game opened up, Ruddy was relieved to see Suarez's toe-poke roll behind after squirming through his fingers.

Suarez's 78th-minute shot was turned past the far post by Ruddy with Gerrard lurking outside the six-yard box as the hosts tried to make up for missed opportunities.

Substitute Andy Carroll's header in the fourth minute of added time summed up Liverpool's match as he powered wide from six yards.

As if to rub salt into the wounds Ruddy produced a brilliant save to tip over Suarez's volley even later.

But like against Sunderland on the opening day of the season and - to a lesser extent - Manchester United last weekend a failure to take their chances cost them the win.

Such dropped points could dearly cost Liverpool's bid to regain Champions League status.

Kenny Rues Missed Chances

Kenny Dalglish admitted his frustration after Liverpool failed to turn a succession of chances into goals and were held to a 1-1 draw by Norwich City on Saturday.

Craig Bellamy put the Reds into a deserved lead in first-half stoppage time, but substitute Grant Holt's towering header secured a point for the visitors at Anfield.

Liverpool could have clinched victory had it not been for a stunning save from Norwich 'keeper John Ruddy to thwart a Luis Suarez volley at the death while substitute Andy Carroll went close with a close-range header.

Dalglish told his post-match press conference: "I think on the balance of the game we deserved to take three points from it. We played really well up to a point, created an awful lot of chances and there was some great passing and moving.

"But when you are only one goal in front it gives them a bit of encouragement. They were hanging on in there.

"If we don't convert our chances we're always going to give the opposition a chance. They took it.

"Even then we came back and the goalkeeper has made a fantastic save from Luis late on and big Andy almost scored with a header as well.

"We're disappointed but I am sure we'll play a lot worse than that and win matches."

As well as being thwarted by Ruddy's late heroics for Norwich, Liverpool also struck the woodwork three times during the course of a contest they dominated for long periods.

However, Dalglish is confident the Reds will soon start to turn their opportunities into goals.

He said: "You work to get the chances on the day. It's difficult to assess how you're going to react when you get the chances, but hitting the post three or four times as well doesn't help.

"But if we keep creating the chances, we've got enough people there who can finish them."

Dalglish: Luis Suarez Needs Protection From Referees

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish believes Luis Suarez is not getting adequate protection from referees.

Suarez felt aggrieved that decisions were not awarded in his favour during the Reds' 1-1 draw with Norwich - and Dalglish thinks the Uruguayan deserves more respect from referees.

"He needs protection and I don't think he got that out there," said Dalglish.

"His integrity has been called into question and I think maybe he is suffering from that at the moment."

Suarez remonstrated with referee Peter Walton on several occasions, claiming he was manhandled by the Norwich defenders. And Dalglish feels his player's reputation may have gone before him.

Dalglish added: "It is their integrity that needs questioning not his. On the football pitch he is exemplary, a fantastic footballer and we have 100% faith in Luis and the way he conducts himself."

Grant Holt rescued a point for Norwich at Anfield after Craig Bellamy had opened the scoring on his return to the first team.

But, for all their late pressure, Suarez could not inspire Liverpool to victory against a well-organized Norwich side.

"He is a terrific footballer and he's created a lot of chances out there," said Dalglish.

"For 90 minutes he was a thorn in their side he just couldn't finish the chances off."

Liverpool started strongly and threatened to run riot as Norwich struggled to get to grips with the home side, but Paul Lambert's side hung on to frustrate Liverpool.

Dalglish's opposite number was thrilled with his side's display and insisted Norwich deserved to take away a point.

"I am proud of the players to come here and play the way we did - they were fantastic," said Lambert.

"I think in the first half there was a bit of stage fright but in the second we were excellent we played with no fear. I don't think we know how to play any other way, there's players in the dressing room who have been absolutely colossal for us.

Following encouraging displays at Manchester United and Chelsea, Lambert believes his side finally got what they deserved.

"We had chances at Old Trafford and at Stamford Bridge and we lost the games but gave it a go. We were always going to come here and do the same and I think we deserved a point," added the Scot.

"The lads ran themselves into the ground and John Ruddy made a few saves. If we'd have come away with anything less than a win we'd have been disappointed.

"We have been playing well all season and we've always got a goal in us. If we keep doing that then we will win more games than we lose."

Luis Suarez To Be Questioned By Football Association

Liverpool forward Luis Suárez is expected to be interviewed by the Football Association next week as investigations continue into allegations of racist abuse made by Manchester United defender Patrice Evra following last Saturday’s 1-1 draw between the two clubs at Anfield.

Suárez has strenuously denied accusations made by Evra that he uttered racial insults during the Premier League fixture, with Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish insisting on Thursday that the club remain “totally and utterly behind” the Uruguay international.

But with representatives of the FA’s disciplinary unit travelling to Manchester to speak to Evra on Thursday, it is understood that Suárez will also be asked for his observations by the FA to maintain the integrity of the investigative process and avoid accusations of an unbalanced inquiry.

There is no suggestion that the FA has received new evidence which supports or weakens the position of either player.

With Evra, who was accompanied by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, reporting the alleged racist abuse to match referee Andre Marriner after last week’s fixture, Suárez will be given the opportunity to offer his version of events when he meets the FA.

It remains unclear as to what Evra told the FA during his meeting on Thursday, however, with both United and the governing body yesterday adhering to an agreement not to discuss the investigation.

Ferguson said on Monday that Evra was determined to follow through with his complaint against Suárez, but the French defender will have to supply secondary evidence to support his claims of racist abuse in order for the FA to consider action against the Liverpool player.

While Ferguson has insisted that United regard the matter as one between Evra and Suárez, rather than a club versus club issue, the rhetoric from Liverpool has been strong, with Dalglish also defending Suárez against United’s accusations of “diving all over the place”.

But despite Liverpool’s unswerving support of Suárez, Dalglish has made it clear that the club will “co-operate 100 per cent” with the FA during the investigation.