KENNY DALGLISH has challenged his new look Liverpool side to show Tottenham their quality at White Hart Lane tomorrow.
Spurs completed their first league double over the Reds for 24 years at Anfield back in May as they won the race for fifth place.
However, since then Dalglish has embarked on a major rebuilding job with seven new signings this summer. The boss believes Liverpool are now a different proposition and wants them to show it in the capital.
“It is up to the players to show their strength on the pitch,” Dalglish said.
“We will try our best to improve on that performance from the game in May and try to improve the result.
“We will always try to entertain, we will always try our best. I can only follow the philosophy in which I was brought up playing and I cannot be anybody else. That was the way I was brought up.”
Liverpool’s last four visits to White Hart Lane have all ended in defeat and Spurs are looking to secure three successive league wins over the Reds for the first time since 1912.
Harry Redknapp’s men have lost two of their opening three league games, including a 5-1 hammering at home to Man City, but Dalglish believes they will be challenging for Champions League qualification this season.
“Spurs are going to be right up there until the end of the season,” he said. “Whoever else is going to be there I don’t know but I certainly think Spurs will be there.
“They have faced the two Manchester clubs and lost both times but I don’t think they were at full strength. They are a difficult team and it is up to us to play well against quality opposition.”
Dalglish is looking forward to locking horns with Redknapp again. Their friendship dates back 45 years and Redknapp’s son Jamie was the last signing Dalglish made during his first spell in charge at Anfield.
“When I was 15 I went on trial at West Ham and Harry was there,” he said. “He’s a good character and has done a good job at Tottenham. They are much healthier now than they were before he came in.
“Obviously Jamie is a common denominator. Harry came up with Jamie’s mum Sandra, the year before he actually signed. I think he was a little bit too young to leave home and his mum didn’t want to let go of him.
“But he was a fantastic signing for the club. The meeting that we had at West Ham all those years ago wouldn’t have done any harm with that (transfer).
“The fact that it was Liverpool that Jamie was coming to, a club Harry has a great deal of respect for, wouldn’t have done any harm either.
“He’s a good guy and there is a bit of a friendship there. We’ll have a drink after the game.”
Glen Johnson is ruled out with a hamstring injury so Dalglish must choose between Martin Skrtel, Martin Kelly and Jon Flanagan at right-back.
