Kenny Dalglish on Tuesday stressed the importance of showing Cardiff City maximum respect in Sunday’s Carling Cup final if Liverpool are to avoid joining history’s list of beaten favourites.

Dalglish was in charge when Liverpool lost the 1988 FA Cup final to Wimbledon at Wembley and he does not want a repeat of that day.

The Liverpool boss told his pre-match press conference:

“Everybody that’s involved with the football club will take great satisfaction (in playing the final), but it’s not a foregone conclusion – and we should not be getting our mindset thinking it is going to be like that.

Kenny Dalglish believes success in cup competitions this season is proof of how the club is progressing.

Liverpool are set to play in their 11th League Cup final against Cardiff City next weekend, while a win against Brighton on Sunday will see them through to the FA Cup last eight.

Dalglish thinks progress in the cups is evidence that Liverpool are on the up. He told Liverpoolfc.tv:

“The players deserve every credit. They’ve had a relatively successful season, they’ve put themselves in a good position.

Good chance that we will see fit again Maxi Rodriguez this weekend against Brighton.

Rodriguez has not played since the fourth round victory over Manchester United almost three weeks ago due to a foot injury. But having received an international call-up from Argentina this week, Maxi is now also back in contention for Liverpool. The winger has started all but two of our cup matches this season.

Dalglish said:

“Maxi is back training. He had a kick on his foot in training but he’s fine now. He’s back in the Argentina squad which is good for him.”

Must be the day of apology at Anfield as Kenny Dalglish became the third member of the club to apologize for the actions at Old Trafford yesterday.

Dalglish apologised for his conduct during his post-match interview with Sky Sports on Saturday as he faced questions about Luis Suarez’s refusal to shake hands with Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

Dalglish said in a statement released on the official Liverpool website on Sunday afternoon:

“Ian Ayre has made the club’s position absolutely clear and it is right that Luis Suarez has now apologised for what happened at Old Trafford,” said Dalglish.

Kenny Dalglish today confirmed Steven Gerrard is set to return to the Liverpool squad for Monday’s Barclays Premier clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

Dalglish told reporters at Melwood:

“Steven will be back in the squad for Monday, so we’re looking quite healthy at the moment – but there are three days of training to go, so more often than not you can pick up something in that. But at the moment we look as though we’re okay and have players to choose from. That gives us a problem, but it’s a pleasant one.”

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish willfreshen up his team for tomorrow’s trip to Wolves after his side came through two big cup ties in the space of three days.

Jay Spearing’s hamstring problem, which has sidelined him for four matches, remains Dalglish’s only injury doubt as striker Luis Suarez serves the last game of his eight-match suspension.

This is the kind of game that worries me. Liverpool are coming off two massive emotional cup games, plus they have had a tendency to play down to the level of their opponents this season. There is no doubt that Liverpool are a better side than Wolves, so it will be interesting to see if the players can pick up where they left off in the cup games and put in a professional performance at Wolves.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has stressed there will be no transfers in or out the club before the transfer window closes tomorrow.

Reports emerged over the weekend that Manchester City had turned down the offer of a swap deal between Carlos Tevez and Andy Carroll but Dalglish would not comment on that speculation.

“There is no-one going in or out of the club before the transfer window [closes],” he said. “There is nothing happening here. I don’t read the papers so I don’t know [about speculation]. We have covered what we have to say. We don’t need to justify what people are speculating about do we?”