Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish believes the signs are clear that the club is moving in the right direction this season.

Dalglish: Says players deserve credit

The Reds take on Championship outfit Brighton at Anfield on Sunday for a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals and face Cardiff, another side from the second tier, a week later in the Carling Cup final at Wembley.

Their record this term in those competitions is beyond question, but things have not been so straightforward in the Barclays Premier League.

The Merseysiders are seventh, four points off the top four, while away from results and positions, the Luis Suarez racism row has provided the club with some well-documented difficulties.

Overall though, Dalglish feels the campaign to date has been "relatively successful" and the Scot points to where Liverpool were a year ago - when he had only just succeeded Roy Hodgson - as evidence that real progress is being made.

"The players deserve every credit," Dalglish told liverpoolfc.tv.

"They've had a relatively successful season, they've put themselves in a good position.

"This time last year we weren't in both cup competitions and we weren't as close as four points off fourth spot.

"We're pleased with what we've done so far but we want to push on and improve where we are."

Liverpool have played Brighton already this season, winning 2-1 at the Amex Stadium in a Carling Cup tie in September, and Dalglish is expecting a tough assignment for his team.

"We have got a really difficult game coming up on Sunday," said Dalglish.

"We've played them already in the League Cup away and we did particularly well on the night to overcome that, but this will be a hard game.

"Although we have the advantage of being at home with fabulous support behind us, we still need to produce the goods on the pitch.

"Everybody knows what we stand for - we respect the competition and we respect Brighton.

"You can see the form for yourself. They've done well. They're ninth in the league but it's a really tight league. I think there are only eight points between them and top spot.

"They want to play a bit of football, they like to move the ball about and they got a fantastic result against Newcastle (a 1-0 victory) in the previous round.

"It's going to be hard for us, we might need to be patient and we'll certainly need to be committed."

Liverpool midfielder Maxi Rodriguez could make his return to the team for the clash with the Seagulls.

Rodriguez has not featured since the FA Cup fourth-round victory over Manchester United at the end of January due to a foot problem but should be fit for selection.

Dalglish has also indicated that young defenders Jon Flanagan and Jack Robinson may come into his thinking for the tie.