Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp admits he was beaten by Liverpool to the signing of Andy Carroll.

The England striker has struggled to make an impact at the Merseyside club due to lack of form and fitness and national boss Fabio Capello recently criticised the 22-year-old's lifestyle.

Redknapp is a big admirer of the player, though, and is wary of the damage he can cause to his patched-up defence on Sunday if selected.

"He is a real handful," Redknapp said. "He is a great header of the ball.

"When you go up against him you know you have had a game, that's for sure.

"We thought about signing him but we weren't in to spending £35million on one player."