Dalglish: Best is yet to come from strike duo
And anything the pair, who became the club’s record signings in the space of just a few hours on January transfer deadline day, produce in the final seven matches of the season should be regarded as a “bonus” said the Scot.
Suarez has already announced his talents with two goals and a virtuoso performance in last month’s 3-1 win at home to Manchester United.
Carroll, whose Reds debut was delayed by a thigh injury sustained in late December while still at Newcastle, has shown glimpses of his potential but he is not yet fully fit.
Dalglish has always insisted the pair were bought for the long-term and that they could not be expected to transform Liverpool’s fortunes in the latter stages of this season.
However, he believes in 12 months’ time the picture will be vastly different.
“Anything we get out of them this season will be a real bonus,” said Dalglish. “It is good to see them getting an opportunity to play together and get an understanding and we will keep working on that.
“But this time next year would be the better time to judge that when they have had time to settle in.”
Liverpool still have an outside chance of qualifying for Europe with a fifth-placed finish, although that was damaged when Roy Hodgson’s West Brom team beat them last weekend.
And even with injures starting to bite, having lost Steven Gerrard and Daniel Agger for the rest of the campaign and with Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly sidelined for another month, Dalglish will continue to push his squad forward.
“We have never predicted anything other than we will concentrate fully on the next game,” said the Reds boss ahead of tonight’s visit of Manchester City.
“The football club has greater ambition than to settle for sixth spot and we’ll be looking to improve on that as best we possibly can.
“We are better than sixth but we’ve got to prove that on the pitch.’’
City manager Roberto Mancini believes his club’s future is in safe hands, backing goalkeeper Joe Hart to go on and become a legend at Eastlands.
Hart has grown in stature since replacing Republic of Ireland international Shay Given as number one at the start of the season.
Since then the 23-year-old has not only become established in the team but also become England manager Fabio Capello’s first choice.
Hart has been ever-present in the top flight, playing in all 31 games, and aims to improve that record tonight at Anfield.
Not only that, he lies top of the Barclays Premier League clean sheets list with 14 to his credit.
While Mancini is delighted with Hart’s progress he insists there is much more to come from the player.
Mancini said: “It was very difficult for me at the start of the season when I had to decide who to pick because we had two fantastic goalkeepers.
“The reason I picked Joe was I felt he could become the best goalkeeper in England — and he has.
“But he is young. It is only his second season in Barclays Premier League. He can improve a lot. He can be the best goalkeeper here for a long time.”
Mancini again faces a dilemma at right-back as Micah Richards and Jerome Boateng are both injured.
Belgian rookie Dedryck Boyata was drafted in for his first Premier League start since October in the 5-0 victory against Sunderland but Pablo Zabaleta could be preferred after returning to the club following compassionate leave.
Gareth Barry, James Milner and Edin Dzeko are all in contention for places as City aim to improve their prospects of a Champions League place ahead of the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on Saturday at Wembley.
Kompany added: “We intend to play better than we did against Sunderland. It was a good performance but there is always some margin for improvement.”
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