Dean Richards is out to prove a point to Liverpool for the second time in ten days to make them pay for rejecting him during the summer.

As a Bosman free agent, the Wolves centre-back (pictured below) was lined up for a dream move to Anfield at the end of last season.

He had agreed terms and the deal was poised to go through when the Merseysiders abruptly pulled out without explanation.

Dave Jones nipped in smartly to snap up the defender who has improved with every game and who took great delight in heading the equaliser which set Saints up for a 2-1 win over Gerard Houllier's men in the Worthington League Cup.

Richards is playing down any talk of proving a point again in today's league meeting but admitted: "That goal and the win gave me a lot of personal satisfaction.

"I did have a bit of a point to prove after what happened in the summer but that is gone now. It wasn't very pleasant at the time but it is part of my past and I prefer to look forward.

"Things have worked out well for me and the only real concern for me this afternoon is that we get three points. Personally I would rather win the league game than the cup one - hopefully we can get both.

"Liverpool will be out to avenge that defeat but although we won we did not play well. It was probably the worst we've played at home all season.

"I think we have another two gears to find from that display and if we find them today there is no reason why we should not beat them again.

"It will mean keeping Michael Owen under lock and key and restricting him to a minimum of chances. He missed a couple of opportunities last week but I would not expect him to squander opportunities like that again. But we know we must improve defensively."

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