Houllier said: They might have Robbie Savage but we have Steven Gerrard. Savage offers a certain challenge to our players but we know you can't rise to that. The more focused and more composed you are, the better chance you have of success and my players know that.
"But I'll tell you this, Robbie Savage is the sort of opponent I like, because if he wants to get tough then we'll get tougher and if he wants to play hard, then believe me, we'll play harder. We know what to expect and we know how to react. If we get that, then it is down to us to play the better football.
"We are playing Birmingham the team not just one player of Birmingham, and likewise, they will play the whole Liverpool team, not just one of us. Savage had better not do anything wrong against one of our players, because I can tell you he will take on the whole of my side. But I don't think it will come to that - the two teams respect each other."