Carragher calls for patience from Reds fans

Liverpool veteran Jamie Carragher has warned the club’s fans not to expect him or his teammates to be able to transform the Reds into a Premier League force overnight.

Roy Hodgson’s side welcome Blackpool to Anfield on Sunday for a crucial match for both clubs after recent respective blemishes.

Blackpool have lost their last two matches while the home side have drawn against FC Utrecht in the Europa League and Sunderland in the Premier League while before that they were humbled by lowly Northampton Town in the Carling Cup.

Liverpool have so far picked up just six points from their opening six Premier League encounters this season and Carragher believes their form is indicative of the fact they are simply not a strong side at present.

“This is a work in progress,” he said.

“We are steadily getting there and if we can get three points at the weekend, we’ll head into the two week break looking forward to the derby.

“I know everyone thinks that when you get a new manager, you start winning every week but in Gerard Houllier’s first season we finished seventh and in Rafa Benitez’s we finished fifth.

“It’s not always a case that when you bring in a new manager everything changes – we finished seventh last year because we were the seventh best team in the league.

“We are not all of a sudden going to be pulling up trees left, right and centre.

“As I said, it’s a work in progress and we have to work through it.

Although Blackpool were tipped for relegation at the start of the season, they have been a pleasant surprise so far due to two fine away wins at Wigan Athletic and Newcastle United.

They will be hoping for the most unlikely of victories at Anfield but Carragher is determined to spoil their day.

“Blackpool will be a massive test,” he added.

“They’ve been the revelation of the Premier League this season and I think they’re everyone’s second team. Everyone wants to see them do well.

“But we’ve got to make sure we get the three points and start moving up the league and we’ve got to match them for spirit.”

The busiest man in Anfield on Sunday is likely to be Blackpool goalkeeper Matthew Gilks.

Gilks, who was in fine form during Blackpool’s late promotion push last season and who has also settled well into life in the Premier League, cannot wait for the encounter but is under no illusions as to how difficult Blackpool will find the tie.

However, the goalkeeper does find some crumb of comfort in the fact that Blackpool are getting one of the Premier League’s more difficult away days out of the way early on in the season rather than having to travel to Anfield during a potential relegation battle later this term.

“We’re going to get them in early doors and get them out of the way,” he said.

“Hopefully we can go to Liverpool in a good vein of form, I know we got beat last weekend but we’re still playing well.

“I think if we get anything at Liverpool it will be a good result. They’re one of the top clubs in the league so a win or a draw at Anfield is very good result.

“We’ll go there and look at their team and their form and go knowing that we can give them a good game.

“They’ve got strength in depth in every position in the squad, that’s why they’re one of the biggest clubs in the world. They’ve got players that can come in and do a job all over the pitch and despite their form, when they get it together and click they’ll give a few teams a good hiding this year.

Liverpool will be without Fabio Aurelio who has an achilles problem, while Paul Konchesky has pulled his hamstring and Daniel Agger has a groin strain while Blackpool’s Ben Clarke (knee) and Alex Baptiste (shoulder) shall be both missing.