LONDON: Blackpool boss Ian Holloway is looking forward to taking on living legend Kenny Dalglish at Bloomfield Road tomorrow (4am).

Dalglish was reinstalled as Liverpool manager last Saturday — almost 20 years after his first spell in charge at Anfield ended — following the departure of Roy Hodgson.

Holloway is in awe of Dalglish for his achievements as a player and manager but feels the Reds should have given Hodgson longer to turn their season around.

Hodgson held the post for just six months but paid the price for a poor start to the campaign, which sees them 12th in the table ahead of the trip to Bloomfield Road.

"Good luck to Dalglish, he is a wonderful fella. The man is a living legend, he is someone I have admired from afar and for a long while," said Holloway.

"It'll be nice to try to beat him and that's what I'll be doing, but I am still lamenting a strange situation.

"I am sure Hodgson will get another job but I am sure he will be bitterly disappointed that a club the size of Liverpool didn't really give him the chance he hoped for. He waited a long time to climb up the ladder and unfortunately he has come off it really quickly. I don't think he deserved that.

"I just think it is very convenient to blame Hodgson."

The return of Dalglish, regarded as Liverpool's greatest-ever player as well as being one of their most successful managers, has energised the supporters.

His first league game, albeit away at "tiny" Blackpool, is likely to be a highly-charged occasion but Holloway is not overly concerned.

Holloway, who guided his team back to the top flight after a 39-year absence, is simply relishing the fact the two clubs are competing on level terms.

Blackpool won at Anfield earlier in the season and head into the rearranged clash — which was postponed on Boxing Day due to freezing conditions— below the Reds only on goal difference.

"I can't wait. How can there ever be a bad time to play Liverpool? It'll be very special for the fans," said Holloway.

"Liverpool are just down the road — they've always been miles ahead but now we're on the same playing field. Three points available in the same league! It's fantastic for us, but not so much for them. It's probably a game their fans will think they should win, so that brings its own pressures."

Holloway rarely had dealings with Dalglish during his time in the game, meeting him just once when he was given short shrift for asking for his autograph at a function.

He said of the incident: "I can't tell you what he said — he thought I was taking the mickey! But I can't remember a better player than him in my whole life.

"I think he will give them some stability, that is what their club is built on. Their foundation was laid out years ago and Dalglish was part of that as a player, a player/manager and a manager.

"It is a big task because he has been out of the game a while, but if anyone can pull it off it is Dalglish. I just hope it goes horribly wrong for him tomorrow — my club might gain then."

Holloway will revert to a more recognisable side after making nine changes for the FA Cup third-round defeat at League One Southampton last weekend.

He has no regrets over fielding an under-strength side, despite facing some considerable criticism.

"We are not even David if this league is Goliath, we are smaller than him. And we haven't even got a slingshot. As far as I am concerned, I have done the right think for my squad.

"The likes of Charlie Adam — I can't afford for them to get injured playing so many games in a month."

LIVERPOOL: Manager Kenny Dalglish (pic) moved to quash rumours of dressing room unrest at Liverpool.

Rumours of conflicts started during Roy Hodgson's six-month stint at Anfield and questions have also been raised in relation to how Damien Comolli's role as Director of Football Strategy will affect Dalglish's position, particularly in terms of transfers.

However, Dalglish said everyone is united with the goal of moving the club forward.

"I don't see any divisions in the football club in any shape or form," he said.

"The ownership has been dealt with, there's new people in. There are certainly no divisions which are apparent to me, they seem a very good bunch of lads.

"There's no difference in determination and effort to try and move the club forward.

"The people who own the club want the club to succeed and nobody would ever enjoy sacking a manager, especially somebody of the integrity of Hodgson.

"The owners would never have got any pleasure out of that, I certainly got no pleasure out of it." Liverpool lost 1-0 to Manchester United in the FA Cup third round last weekend in Dalglish's first game back in the dugout.

The struggling Reds will now face a tricky task against Blackpool in a Premier League match at Bloomfield Road tomorrow (4am).