Kenny Dalglish has again been forced to defend big-money signing Andy Carroll after journalists quizzed him about the player's possible lack of confidence.

The Liverpool manager was speaking at today's pre-match press conference when hacks brought up the possibility of Carroll facing his former club Newcastle on Friday.

Dalglish said: "No, I don't think self belief is a problem for Andy Carroll and I don't see why it should be.

"I don't think there's any evidence there to say he is short of self belief and I don't see any evidence to see why he should be.

"For us he has come here and gone about his work very well. He is adjusting to life at a new club with new philosophies and a new way of playing.

"Football is the most important thing to him. That's what he enjoys most. He's got a happy home life and if the football is going well and it's the same for everyone then the home life is going to be happier, but he loves playing football, he loves scoring goals and loves being part and parcel of the team. That's the personality he is.

"He is adapting well to the change and we'll keep working with him because fortunately for Andy we've got much greater belief in him that a lot of people have that write about him."

The boss added: "Anybody that started against Blackburn has got a chance of playing back to back games, so it's not just Andy.

"In my mind it's another game at Anfield. Whether or not it's against his former club or not wouldn't make any difference to me when I consider what the team should be.

"First he has got to get picked, so he has got to earn the right to be picked. The best way to do that is with your performances on and off the pitch - for everyone not just Andy Carroll - everybody.

"The most important thing for him is for to play for us and that's what he will be concentrating on.

"He's a Geordie and will always be a Newcastle fan but when he plays against them he will always give his best, and I don't think that's ever been a problem."

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