We spoke to Roy Hodgson ahead of Sunday's FA Cup third round encounter at Old Trafford. Here's what he had to say in full.
Can we start with a squad fitness update, please?
This morning wasn't quite so good. Paul Konchesky (sounds like a perfect morning) got a dead leg in the game and Martin Skrtel has got a slight stomach strain but the prognosis is that both will be fit to train tomorrow, in which case that would just leave us with Jamie Carragher injured. That's quite fantastic at this late stage of the season - to have so few players unavailable. I'm just hoping Skrtel and Konchesky make themselves available as well.
How is Raul Meireles?
Good. He's made a remarkably quick recovery and it's one of the few times in a long time that we've been able to consider Lucas, Steven Gerrard and Meireles on the pitch together. First Steven Gerrard was out for six weeks and then Raul Meireles got injured. It's good to have the three of those available to play.
Does Sunday provide a welcome break from league football?
It gives us a chance in a really high-profile game and a big game to get back and put the bitter defeat against Blackburn behind us. It was a poor, poor defensive performance to let in the goals we did and we're all very disappointed about that. We thought after Bolton we had a good opportunity to go to Blackburn and beat them. To come away defeated was a harsh blow and this game against our fiercest rivals gives us the chance to show we are better than we were on Wednesday.
Has it been difficult for you to lift the players since Wednesday and get them focused on Manchester United?
No, I don't think it's difficult to get the players focused on a team like Manchester United. Yesterday was a day off so this is the first time I've seen them since Blackburn. The mood was very good this morning. People worked well in quite difficult circumstances because we were playing on a snowy pitch where the ball wasn't rolling too well.
You said post-match that the players were hurting as much as the fans on Wednesday - because of that do you expect a reaction and improved performance on Sunday?
Yes, I do. It's very important the fans realise that we understand they have high hopes, expectations and ambitions for the club and the team. We have high hopes, expectations and ambitions as well. Every time we go on to the field we desperately want to see those dreams materialise and to produce the performances which bring you results. It's very painful when it's not happening and the fans make their views felt. We're all hurting in this situation.
Football can change quickly and there's no doubt victory over Manchester United would lift everybody connected to Liverpool - is that what you'll be telling your players just before kick-off?
Yes, though of course I'll be preaching to the converted. They don't need to be told that. We've got quite an experienced bunch of players here and they know as well as I do how important this game is - in particular for the supporters of the club who'd take enormous delight if we could knock Manchester United out of the Cup on their home ground. It would be a remarkable coup. The important thing for me to do is, yes, make that point clear - but also to emphasise that to win it will require a lot of intelligent football. We're not going to do it through heart alone. It needs to be a combination of endeavour and desire, but also people using their heads to play well tactically, negate Manchester United's strengths and take advantage of some of their weaknesses.
Some people believe the FA Cup has lost some of its magic - would you go along with that?
I think that comes from a time when Manchester United were forced to pull out through the World Club Championship. And, of course, the stronger the Premier League gets and the fight for Champions League places intensifies, it can relegate the FA Cup to some extent - but that certainly won't be the case for this game. There will be games this weekend where the FA Cup is relegated to a lower position than the Premier League - maybe when a Premier League team is playing a lower league team at home. But the game we're playing, Manchester United versus Liverpool at Old Trafford - it doesn't matter what occasion it is, it's always going to be a cracker. It's always going to get people talking and on the edge of their seats.
Because we played last Saturday and again on Wednesday, is there a temptation for you to change things around in terms of team selection?
Well, we wanted to make a couple of changes on Wednesday night with Aurelio and Agger. Both did well against Bolton, but we were concerned after such a long lay-off that to play three games in seven days would be too much. But they are perfectly fit and ready to play in this game. As far as the other players are concerned, Meireles didn't play against Blackburn, so he's fit and ready to play. On top of that, the extra day's rest is very useful. We played Saturday, then we had four days until Wednesday. Now we've had four days again. It doesn't sound much, but that extra day's rest makes a really big difference. In terms of fitness and preparation for this game, we're fine.
The most fucking important question wasn't asked, When do you plan on taking the fucking hint?
