Smith: Don't take Blackpool for granted

Blackpool should offer Liverpool the perfect opportunity for a morale boosting victory. But nobody had better take it for granted, writes Tommy Smith in the Liverpool Echo.

Bill Shankly hated playing newly promoted sides early in the season because they were always so up for it and could cause you problems.

Arsenal and Chelsea haven't found it that way, putting six and four past the Seasiders without reply at home this season. But that doesn't mean it'll be easy for us.

This is the same Blackpool side that won at Wigan and at Newcastle, so we'll need a high energy performance if we're going to get the result that we should.

It is desperately needed. We are off the pace for a top four spot already and if we're going to get back on it we've simply got to put sides like Blackpool to the sword. 

It's been so long since we last played them at Anfield - almost 40 years - that I was out there the last time it happened. And that one ended 2-2 after a goalless draw at their place, so as I said, nothing can ever be taken for granted.

The key thing is that we should have Steven Gerrard back and that should make such a difference.

He's so tuned into Fernando Torres that if we do the business, there might just be a good few goals to make everyone feel a bit better.

But we must earn the right to score them first.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.