Dalglish glad to avoid the hype
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was pleased his side overcame the "Andy Carroll factor" in dispatching the striker's former club Newcastle 3-0 at Anfield.
All the pre-match build-up had centred on the £35million club record signing, who left St James' Park in January, facing the Magpies for the first time. However, he only made a 20-minute substitute appearance having recovered from the knee injury which kept him out of last week's win over Birmingham.
"I didn't expect to get a stroll in the sunshine, we knew they would come here," said Dalglish. "With the Andy Carroll factor as well it maybe added some spice for them. I don't think it (the abuse) will be put to bed. When he goes to St James' next season he will get it again. He is a young boy but he has broad shoulders."
Dalglish said after Carroll's injury, and the team's performance last week, it was difficult to start with the striker.
"He's only had a couple of days training so it was best for us to start with other people," he added. "He is here for five years so he will get plenty of opportunity to play games and we will help him get back to fitness and the 20 minutes at the end will have helped him."
The players on the pitch concentrated on the job in hand as Maxi Rodriguez added to last week's hat-trick with the opener in the 10th minute, although it was not until the second half when the home side finally gained control.
Dirk Kuyt, with his eighth in seven Barclays Premier League matches, scored from the spot after Luis Suarez was pulled down by Mike Williamson and the Dutchman then repaid the favour by laying off for the Uruguay international to score the third.
It was Carroll's fellow January arrival Suarez who again took the plaudits, with Dalglish expressing his delight at the form of the 24-year-old.
"Luis is always getting in there and is always a threat and it fell kindly for him in the box and he stroked away," the Scot said of the forward's third goal for the club.
"It is just reward for the work he put in on the pitch."
