Kenny Dalglish admitted reaching the FA Cup final felt sweet after a difficult few weeks for the club - but insisted once again that his side was a work in progress.

Goals from Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez saw the Reds overcome the Blues in the most important Merseyside derby in recent memory.

It means Liverpool fans will travel to Wembley for a third time this season in May to take on Chelsea.

But Dalglish refused to lose perspective despite Saturday's elation.

"It is called a work in progress," he said. "We have said that many times before and there is no need for us to change.

"After the Carling Cup I said we are not the finished article and we are saying the same thing now.

"I have never said at any time that we were the finished article and we won't say that now.

"But every bit of knowledge I have got, every effort I have got, will go towards trying to get the football team moving in the right direction."

Liverpool have reached a second major final in a season when their league form has resulted in criticism from some quarters.

Dalglish added: "To go forward and be successful, sometimes you need to get battered along the way.

"This football club is a fantastic example to anyone else that wants to have a football club that when there is a wee bit of mud flying about, they close ranks and get together.

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"That is the football club I used to know and it's the football club I am getting back to knowing now.

"If it's me that's getting dog's abuse, good, because it takes the pressure off the players and my skin is a bit thicker than some of theirs. There's a lot of them here for the first time in their first year.

"It is important for everybody to go through some bad bits to realise how good the good bits are. I've been there before and I suppose I will be there again at some stage."