LIVERPOOL // Robbie Keane has looked a forlorn figure at Liverpool since his £20 million (Dh133m) arrival from Tottenham Hotspur. He has yet to open his account after four games and his much-vaunted partnership with Fernando Torres has failed to ignite with the Reds attack looking short of firepower and finesse. It can be a burden to justify such a huge price tag and to match the feats of legends who have worn the same No 7 shirt as Kenny Dalglish or Kevin Keegan.
Not everyone succeeds in the Anfield cauldron, as the previous incumbent of that jersey, Harry Kewell, will testify, and Keane's efforts so far have already led to doubters questioning the huge outlay for the striker. But Jamie Carragher is backing the Irishman - who took five games to open his account for Spurs when he joined in 2002 - to prove his worth with Aston Villa in the firing line today.
"I don't think he's been the best of starters, if you look at his Tottenham record, to be honest," said the Liverpool defender. "But everyone here has got great belief in his ability. Robbie has been one of the best players in the Premier League for the last four to five years. It's clear he's a world-class player and in time it will happen and he will show his best form. We believe in him and hopefully he will show that with goals. He's a top player and what he's done in the past should give him enough confidence."
Keane is not alone in below-par performances at the start of the new campaign with Liverpool squeezing past Sunderland and Middlesbrough for wins in the Premier League and Standard Liege in the Champions League. The Belgian side were unlucky to lose out in their final qualifier with Dirk Kuyt's winner, two minutes from the end of extra time, proving decisive to send Rafa Benitez's side into a group stage featuring tough games against Atletico Madrid, Marseille and PSV Eindhoven.Carragher admitted improvement is needed, starting at a Villa side boosted by the signing of James Milner from Newcastle.
"Every single player can improve and it's up to us to do that," he said. "It's obvious there's more to come from us, but while it's not there, it's up to us to keep getting the results." Gareth Barry will line up for Villa against the team he almost joined. Liverpool would not meet his £18million valuation and Benitez says the Barry saga, or his relationship with Martin O'Neill, should not overshadow his side's bid for three successive league wins.
"We know that Barry is a good player, very good for them," said the Spaniard, who is poised to seal an £8m deal for the Espanyol winger Albert Riera. "We will try to contain him on the pitch and not talk too much about other things that have happened in the summer. It is important that we all concentrate on football." That latter statement will no doubt include the situation regarding the club's owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jnr. The Americans have come under fire yet again over a delay on building the new 60,000-seater stadium at Stanley Park because of the global cash crisis.
The credit crunch has had an effect around the world, but there have long been doubts over the duo's ability to fund the £400m arena. @Email:akhan@thenational.ae