Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 9y

Liverpool fans to 'respect' Emile Heskey in FA Cup, says Lennon

BOLTON, England -- Bolton manager Neil Lennon is confident Emile Heskey will get a great reception on his return to Liverpool.

The 37-year-old striker will lead the line against his former club for Championship Bolton at Anfield in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Heskey was an FA Cup winner as a Liverpool player in 2001, the year Gerard Houllier's team lifted five trophies, and scored 60 goals in 223 games during four-and-a-half seasons at Anfield.

And Lennon said in a news conference: "Liverpool fans respect their ex-players and he will get a great reception."

Heskey has joined Bolton on a short-term contract until the end of the season and Lennon also signed another ageing forward, in former Chelsea and Barcelona Eidur Gudjohnsen.

And Lennon is confident the two veterans can help his side cope with the pressure at Anfield.

He added: "There is plenty of experience in the squad, players who have played at the highest level. Heskey and Gudjohnsen have been really good influences on and off the pitch.

"We will bring them to chat if we need to. Certainly Eidur will voice his opinion and had little titbits of advice. Emile has been fantastic since he walked through the door, which is a pleasant surprise. He had a bit to prove when he walked through the door."

Lennon has vowed that Bolton will not go to Anfield just to defend, despite being hugely impressed by Liverpool's Capital One Cup semifinal performance against Chelsea.

He said: "I was at the game on Tuesday and thought they were exceptional against the best team in the country. The football, the pace they played at and the character they showed was there to see.

"We are trying to work out how we are to cope with them and create chances. You can't go to clubs like Liverpool and sit back all afternoon and just admire Liverpool on the ball. We are going to compete and try and cause them problems."

Former Leicester midfielder Lennon faced Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard during his own playing days and hinted it is a shame the 34-year-old has decided to move to Los Angeles Galaxy

He said: "People said his legs have gone. There is no evidence of that. I think he is Liverpool's leading goalscorer at the moment.

"He has just been an all-time modern great. He could play in any Liverpool team and that is saying something when you consider the Liverpool teams of the last 30-40 years. He has got big shoulders because he has carried Liverpool for so long. A player of that standing should end his career at the highest level."

Lennon said Watford are interested in signing Bolton's former Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing but said Wanderers' injury list might mean no one leaves.

Crystal Palace have contacted Wanderers about trying to sign Chung-Yong Lee but Lennon said: "There are no confirmed bids."

The Northern Irishman hopes to sign Celtic forward Kris Commons but admitted: "I doubt we could get a deal done."

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