Daily Post KENNY DALGLISH has hinted Liverpool are preparing for another busy transfer window this summer as they aim for a return to the Premier Leagueâs top four.
And the Anfield manager has dismissed suggestions of a huge gap between his team and leaders Manchester United as the bitter North West rivals prepare to do battle again tomorrow.
Dalglish could unleash his ÂŁ58million strikeforce of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez for the first time when Sir Alex Fergusonâs side visit for their blockbusting showdown.
Sixth-placed Liverpool are currently 21 points adrift of league leaders United, who will surpass the Anfield outfitâs total of 18 league championships should they regain the title this season.
Dalglish believes the foundations are already in place for Liverpool to improve on a difficult campaign in which Champions League qualification now seems beyond them.
But the Scot has indicated Fenway Sports Group are ready to bankroll a significant squad strengthening programme in the summer to help push the team back among the Premier Leagueâs front-runners.
âWe know where we want to go as a club and we do not want to be at a club thatâs going to be sixth or seventh or eighth in the league,â said Dalglish. âThere is a lot of work to be done to get where we need to be.
âA lot of work will be done on the training pitch and the transfer market to get there as quickly as we can.
âThe underbelly of the club is looking as good as it has been since I can remember with the development of the academy, although there are no players you could put straight in because it wouldnât be fair on the lads themselves.
âThe development and the work we have done in the Academy is going to serve us well for years to come.
âBut we have to push closer and that work will be done in the transfer market and the training pitch.â
Dalglish added: âThere are five positions between the teams in the league at the moment.
âBut they keep saying the gap between the top team and the bottom team is getting closer and this year it has been closer than ever. Anybody can beat anybody else.
âSo you canât say the gap between first and sixth is huge when the gap between first and 20th is narrowing.â
Having returned to full training this week, Carroll is poised to be involved for the first time since his club record ÂŁ35million signing from Newcastle United on Januaryâs transfer deadline day.
Liverpool are hopeful both Daniel Agger and Raul Meireles have recovered from their respective calf and knee problems, although Martin Kelly is sidelined with the torn hamstring suffered in last Sundayâs 3-1 defeat at West Ham United.
Dalglish, who celebrated his 60th birthday yesterday, believes he will be better prepared for his second meeting in two months with United than back in January, when he led the team less than 24 hours after stepping off a long-haul flight having cut short a cruise holiday in the Persian Gulf to take over from Roy Hodgson.
And he hopes for a better result after conceding a first-minute penalty and having Steven Gerrard sent off after half an hour in the 1-0 FA Cup third round exit.
âI never had any time (ahead of their FA Cup meeting). I was in transit but the lads had been well prepared here,â said Dalglish.
âBut obviously that went out the window a little bit in the first minute when they got a penalty and Steven got sent off. You can prepare as much as you want but you canât prepare for things like that.
âYou have to compete and itâs a fine line as to how you do that.
âIf you do something stupid you deserve to be sent off. I donât think there is a problem with discipline from either team â certainly from us there is no problem.â
