Dalglish shown size of task ahead of him - Globe and Mail

It wasn't quite the fairytale return that so many Liverpool fans were hoping for, but there were still encouraging signs as Kenny Dalglish returned to the managerial hotseat he vacated 20 long years ago.

Despite the 1-0 F.A. Cup defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday – which ended any notion that the Reds could pick up a domestic trophy this season – Liverpool's players seemed to offer far greater desire to play for Dalglish than they had under Roy Hodgson of late. Whether that's down to the inevitable injection of enthusiasm that any new manager brings, or because of King Kenny's legendary status at Anfield is unknown, but given the way their season has played out so far, Liverpool fans will take anything at this point.

They certainly are more apt to give Dalglish more room for error than Hodgson, given what the Scotsman has done in the past, which can only aid his chances of return his beloved club to some semblance of its former glory.

Sir Alex Ferguson claimed he was "amazed" that Sunday's game only finished with a solitary goal separating the sides – especially given Steven Gerrard's dismissal at the half-hour mark – but credited is great rivals with a resilience lacking in the defeat at Blackburn that proved to be the final nail in Hodgson's coffin.

Indeed, after 90 competitive minutes at the helm, Dalglish will have gleaned a little more insight – if he didn't already know – into the problems at the club. His team selection certainly seemed to indicate as such, with Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen – both heavily criticized Hodgson signings - failing to find their way onto the pitch, and seeing his team's play pick up once two more of his predecessor's purchases – Raul Meireles and Maxi Rodriguez – were withdrawn on the hour will have given him more of an eye-opener.

And if he can't do his own homework, he can always rely on others to do it for him. Former Anfield striker Michael Owen – now plying his trade for those dastardly Red Devils – was happy to chime in regarding the problems at his first professional club.

"I am not particularly surprised," Owen told The Guardian. "I would say their position reflects where they are right now. They are in the middle of a transitional period and off the pitch they have had a change of ownership.

"They are also very reliant on a couple of star players and if they are out injured, they have tended to struggle."

With Gerrard now out for three games after picking up his red card on Sunday, Dalglish will have to plug someone else into the captain's midfield role to get the team's season back on track, starting with a trip to Blackpool on Wednesday.

But Owen feels the club's problems extend further than reliance on players like Gerrard, Fernando Torres and goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

"From when I was there, everything has changed, barring two players," he told The Guardian. "They even got rid of the doctors and the medical staff. Maybe there have not been enough Liverpool players over the last 10 years.

"If there was just one reason, then it would have been fixed. But there have been so many."