London: Victory for Liverpool in Sunday`s League Cup final against second tier Cardiff City could help turn a difficult season into a success story, manager Kenny Dalglish said on Friday.
The Merseyside club started the campaign brimful of optimism having invested heavily in a squad overhaul.
That early-season confidence has diminished, however, as seventh-placed Liverpool`s form has become marked by a failure to turn on-pitch dominance into the hard currency of Premier League points.
One bright spot for disappointed fans over an indifferent few months has been the team`s cup form.
After ousting rivals Manchester United they are in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup while dogged victories over Chelsea and Manchester City helped them to reach Sunday`s League Cup final at Wembley.
"We have still got a huge opportunity in front of us to make the season relatively successful," Dalglish told the club`s website.
"We`ve got the League Cup final, the sixth round of the FA Cup at home to Stoke City (next month) and some really important league matches coming up. It could be a decent season for everybody."
Sunday`s match will be Liverpool`s first appearance at the new Wembley Stadium since it reopened in 2007 and offers the club a chance to end a barren spell of six trophy-less years.
For Dalglish the side are a work in progress and a long way short of the Liverpool team he played in when he first arrived at Anfield in 1977.
"When I came to the club as a player I may have been the only one who came in that year," he added.
"I was walking straight into a really successful club who had won the league, been to the FA Cup final and won the European Cup.
"Everything was set, everything was there. It was still a work in progress but where they were coming from was a really high standard.
"We weren`t at that standard when I came back as manager (last year). We have to try and get there."
Cardiff are back at Wembley for the fourth time in four years, a run which includes a 1-0 defeat to Portsmouth in the 2008 FA Cup final.
They are fifth in the second tier but manager Malky Mackay is hoping to cause an upset.
"We are massive underdogs and nine times out of 10 the underdogs are beaten but there is the other time as well," he said.
"The players I have are committed, determined and lack ego. They work hard and their focus is the next game.
"I would stand shoulder to shoulder with any of my squad every day. They go out to win every game," added Mackay.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.