The focus on Andy Carroll irritates Kenny Dalglish immensely but it will not appease the Liverpool manager that questions about value for money at Anfield go further than the £35m signing from Newcastle United. They are also being asked of Stewart Downing as he prepares for a return to Aston Villa on Sunday.

A hostile reception awaits the winger at Villa Park on account of the manner of his departure and his importance to the team when Villa's newly crowned player of the year departed for Merseyside in July. Whereas Gareth Barry and James Milner made no secret of their desire for Aston Villa to match their own ambitions for Champions League football before leaving for Manchester City, Downing took a different route out; stating a desire to stay before submitting a transfer request when Liverpool called. That partly explains the reaction in store for the 27-year-old, though Villa's anger at losing such a valuable asset may bemuse supporters of his current club as they wait for the England international to lead opponents on a merry-dance.

Downing appeared a natural fit for a team boasting the obvious talents of Carroll at the start of the season. Many held a candle for Juan Mata as the solution to Liverpool's persistent problems in left midfield and the former Valencia winger eventually cost Chelsea £3.5m more than the £20m spent on Downing. But with no Champions League to offer, and Premier League experience preferred for the task of challenging for the top four, the Villa player represented a more realistic option for Dalglish. The price, however, caused surprise the time it was paid and that has not lessened with the passing weeks.

Liverpool have witnessed glimpses of the talent that delivered nine assists and eight goals for Villa last season, the last being a fine winner against Dalglish's team on the final day, and Downing's form does not generate the concern that Carroll's has warranted. He has appeared in every Premier League game this term for a rapidly improving Liverpool team that lie sixth in the table largely on account of their profligacy. And yet too often this season Downing has faded to the margins of the game and struggled to impose himself on opposition defences. In stark contrast to his final season's statistics with Villa, Downing has not scored or provided one assist for Dalglish's team, although he has continued to create chances with a frequency his former club would recognise and Darren Bent would appreciate.

Misfortune also explains Downing's adjustment to life at Anfield. His goals and assists record would look far better but for his striking the woodwork against Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham (Liverpool have hit the frame of the goal 16 times this season), or had Carroll converted the simple chance he engineered early on against Swansea City, Dirk Kuyt finished his sublime delivery against Manchester United or Luis Suárez headed home his cross against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

Dalglish argues: "Stewart has made plenty of chances for us. He has had a few opportunities himself he has been unfortunate with. If you took a percentage of the chances where the woodwork was more kind to us then everybody's stats would look better. Our goals for and points total would be better, individual stats would be better. Stewart has made a huge contribution to the fact we have hit the post 16 times and created so many chances and shots at goal. When they start going in everyone's stats will improve. It's been down to bad luck and inspired goalkeeping."

The feeling remains, however, that with a natural predator in the team like the Villa striker Bent, both Downing and Liverpool would be in a far healthier position. Liverpool's weakness in front of goal, Carroll's struggles and frequent residence on the bench, Fernando Torres's similar problems at Chelsea and the approach of the January transfer window have encouraged talk of more investment from Fenway Sports Group as the owners fund the pursuit of Champions League football. Carroll for Bent would certainly address some pertinent issues for Liverpool, although their manager denies he would like to sign another striker in January.

"Not particularly, no," Dalglish said when asked on Thursday. "There will always be speculation but it's not a Panini sticker book. We're happy with what we have got … We will do our business privately behind doors. We have the option to add if we want to but we also have the other option, which is that we don't have to."

The Liverpool manager is adamant that Downing will demonstrate his value regardless of the personnel on the end of his crosses. "He's confident, not arrogant, which is nice. You don't want them to be arrogant," Dalglish said. "I think all of the lads that have come in for their first season have settled in really well and there's not many people who settle as quickly as a lot of them have done here."