Carroll: Liverpool can cope with missing stars

Liverpool are well equipped to cope with the loss to injury of the likes of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Callagher, striker Andy Carroll believes. The influential duo were missing on Saturday when Liverpool beat West Brom 2-0 away with Carragher (calf muscle) expected back soon while doubts surround Gerrard who is suffering from an infected ankle. Carroll, a £35 million January signing from Newcastle, is confident the squad now assembled by manager Kenny Dalglish after some significant summer spending is well-equipped to cope with such issues. "It was tough not having Stevie or Carra in the squad," said the 22-year-old England international. "They are great players and we need them in the team once they've got over their little niggles. "But we have fantastic players that can come in. The game (at West Brom) showed we've got lads who can step in when needed and do a job. "We showed what we can do. We passed it around well and deserved the three points." Carroll has been encouraged after scoring his second goal in three league matches at The Hawthorns, courtesy of Uruguay international Luis Suarez's pass. "Luis is a great player who works so hard for the team and it's nice to have him up top with me," he told the Liverpool Echo. "Luis drops off, gets the ball into his feet, can dribble with it and slip people in. "I couldn't name a better player in the Premier League than Luis. He's fantastic to have in the squad. He makes chances and scores goals himself so he's a great all-round player and he showed that again. "We just try to stretch defenders and try to make the pitch as big as possible. "Luis makes it easy playing alongside him. I think we played well together and hopefully that will carry on." Carroll's start to his Liverpool career has not been as straightforward as the club's record signing would have liked, as fitness affected his early progress and he has yet to secure a regular place in the starting line-up this season. "I've been disappointed to be sat on the bench," he added. "But when you are left out it just makes you work harder the next day in training to get your place back. "We have a big squad, players come and go every week. It was a different XI at West Brom compared to the previous week and the week before that. "Everyone is fighting hard in training for a place. I've been working hard every day to get my fitness up and to try to get a place in the team and I think I earned it. "We will have to see what happens next weekend. I want to get my name in the starting XI every week."