Dalglish "tempted" to start Maxi

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has been full of praise for midfielder Maxi Rodriguez ahead of the Reds' Premier League clash against Fulham.

The 30-year-old rarely secures a start for the Merseyside club due to the availability of Dirk Kuyt, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson. However, the Scotsman has revealed that he is good enough to play in every match for the Reds.

"I'm tempted to play Maxi in every game," said Dalglish. "He has a fantastic recent goalscoring record. He must have been some player five years ago when he was in his prime. He is still a clever, intelligent footballer – even if he might be getting a bit towards my age.

"He knows how to play and how to finish. Maxi is someone you admire. A lot of people can look at him and also learn from him. He and [Craig Bellamy], along with [Jamie Carragher], are the elder statesmen.

"The way they look after themselves, the way they train and the way they prepare themselves, they are a great example to everybody."

The Argentina international scored a hat-trick in Liverpool's last match at Craven Cottage.