Adam pinpoints key to Utd win

Adam will be hoping to start his first encounter against one of our oldest rivals, though with Lucas, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and others also vying for places, Kenny Dalglish has plenty of options as he seeks to mastermind a fourth straight home victory over Manchester United for the club.

Tom Cleverley, Michael Carrick, Anderson and Darren Fletcher are some of the names they will be up against - and Adam thinks those who gain control in the centre will lead their team to victory.

"The key normally in these games is the midfield," Adam told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"If you can get a grip of the game in midfield then I think you can win the match.

"Over the years gone by we have had some terrific performances, especially last season at Anfield when we beat them.

"So the midfield will be key and also you need somebody up front who can score you goals and we have certainly got that. We are confident going into the game and hopefully come Saturday we can get the three points."

Meanwhile, Adam claims Liverpool have yet to reach their full potential this season and is hoping they can show their best form when Man United travel west on Saturday lunchtime.

The Scottish international knows how much this game means to the supporters and insists a victory would be a fantastic way to show that Dalglish's new-look Reds mean business this season.

"It is a massive game for the supporters and a massive game for the players," he said.

"We know it's going to be difficult and we have got a lot of new players in our squad who are still gelling together.

"I still don't think we've played as well as we can, but that happens when you bring in so many new players and we've shown glimpses of being a very good side. Hopefully we can continue that on Saturday.

"It's not about sending out a message, it's your own pride and performance being at this club. We have to win every game at this club and that's our challenge. We have had a couple of bad results but we have reacted in the right way.

"There's no bigger test than Man United at home and if we can win it, it will be a big confidence boost for us."

Click below to watch Adam talk United

Adam is excited about the prospect of playing against United for the first time with Liverpool after being an avid watcher of the fixture as a spectator in the past.

"I always watched this game previously on TV and the hype on and off the pitch for this match is massive because the rivalry is so big," he said.

"You have to get used to the expectation when you are playing at a big club because everybody wants to beat you. We are at home, we have won our last couple which have been important to us and we want to win the game. We are looking forward to it and feel we can get the right result.

"I think there is always a lot of nerves and excitement because you are playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world in Liverpool and it is a real honour to play for this club."

Liverpool go into the game full of confidence after the win over Everton before the international break and Adam is hoping the Reds can keep their winning momentum going against their arch-rivals.

"It gave us a boost because we won the first derby of the season," he added.

"It was good for the fans to do a bit of gloating but that's done now and our focus is Man United at home and we will see how far we have come because they are the champions. We will try and do what we know we can do and impose ourselves on the game."

A strike against Man United would also be a good tonic for Adam, who was a coat of paint away from registering a derby goal when his blistering effort came back off the bar at Goodison Park.

"It would mean a lot to me if I could score on Saturday," he added.

"It doesn't matter if it's Man United, Scunthorpe or Plymouth as scoring a goal for Liverpool is everything.

"Hopefully, if selected, I can get the opportunity to try and get a few more goals for the club this season, but the main concern is the team plays well because that's the most important thing."