Lawro: Kenny has striking dilemma

Kenny Dalglish faces his first trip to Goodison Park as Liverpool FC manager in 20 years this weekend, and he has a few big selections to make.

None more so than in attack where the likes of Craig Bellamy, Dirk Kuyt and, of course, Andy Carroll will all be desperate to start.

On Saturday against Wolves Dalglish went for Carroll to partner the brilliant Luis Suarez, and you'd have to say he got it spot on.

Suarez was Suarez, of course, and proved to the be the matchwinner, but alongside him Carroll looked much better than he has in recent weeks, and produced a very promising display.

He still probably needs a goal to completely settle him down - and he had a few chances on Saturday - but his work-rate, his link-up play and his quality was much improved.

There seems to be this strange fascination with Andy in the media at the moment. It is almost as if people have made their minds up that he isn't going to make it at Liverpool, and Kenny is rightly irked by this.

People will say the criticism spurred him into a performance, but I would hazard a guess that Carroll was more influenced by seeing the way in which Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt had performed during the win over Brighton in the Carling Cup in midweek.

Both Bellamy and Kuyt looked very sharp and very lively, and their combination play with Suarez was full of quality and invention.

It will be interesting to see what Kenny does at Goodison Park on Saturday. He now has excellent options - it could be a game which is decided from the bench - and he has a decision to make.

Derby matches are special cases, being so tight and so fiercely contested, and I just think it can be the little things that can prove decisive.

Bellamy didn't feature on Saturday after playing 90 minutes at Brighton, so he will be rested and raring to go this weekend, and away from home I think he could be a great option.

He makes opposition defences take a step back because he is keen to play in behind, and he can open a game up with his pace and running.

I think if you asked Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin who they would rather face out of Bellamy and Carroll, they would say Carroll, because they can just stand and compete with him.

The key thing, though, is that Liverpool have the choice. Kuyt is there as well, and he has a great record against Everton, so he will be in contention.

It could well be a game which is won by the replacements rather than the first XI.

Source: Daily Post

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