Aston Villa (H) Buildup - Sat 5.30pm KO

[Bender]

What about those not in the UK Bender? You didn't consider them did you you selfish fool? I correctly stated the day and local kick-off time. Thread title perfection. A stone cold 5 star thread.

and i provided the local tv times ok have your damn 5 stars .....by the way great thread pabs,i just voted it 5*****

[Pablo]

Hope Sakho is back to combat Benteke

I'm sure he will be.

I've just changed my mind on benching Sturridge looking at the fixture list. If we start him for this one he can miss out on Bournemouth and have 10 days rest for the derby. Having seen that I'd start him for this match and have him on the bench in the FA Cup.

Sakho in for Toure.

Sturridge in for? God now I look at it I'm not sure who I'd drop!

[JohnDoe]

Mignolet
Johnson Skrtel Sakho Cissokho
Sterling Henderson Gerrard Coutinho
Suarez Sturridge

**** them.

[Mattshark]

Mignolet
Johnson Skrtel Sakho Cissokho
Sterling Henderson Gerrard Coutinho
Suarez Sturridge

**** them.

Against a team who's only strong point is counter attacking, I don't think that midfield is ideal.

[BigChief]

Delph is going to be well up for this. He made an awful fckup against Arsenal and will try to atone. He can run for England that barsteward. As atrocious a footballer that he is, we made Huddlestone, Livermore, Adam and Walters look world class.

We need a strong middle. So:

Mig
GJ / Skrtel / Sakho / Aly
Gerrard Lucas
Sterling Henderson Coutinho
Suarez

[frank the tank]

I'd consider Sturridge in place of Sterling..... Sturridge and Suarez have proved that they are both capable of dropping deep on both sides of the pitch.... With Coutinho also drifting all over the place added to that, then I couldn't see villas **** defence coping with that movement

Having said that,it'd be good to have the Sturridge option to come off the bench as wellbut I'd still go for it and blow them away before they even have time to settle

[Fosterbloke]

Whatever happens, they lose.

[RedRum]

Suarez hat-trick Sturridge one Sterling one. 5-1 victory.

[RedReet]

Liverpool have been handed a double fitness boost as owners John W Henry and Tom Werner fly in to attend Saturday’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Anfield.

Joe Allen and Mamadou Sakho could return to action against Paul Lambert’s mid-table side after recovering from injuries.

Midfielder Allen hasn’t featured since suffering a groin injury in the defeat to Chelsea on December 29 but has responded well to treatment.

Sakho limped off in the same game with a hamstring problem and returned to training late last week.

Boss Brendan Rodgers opted not to risk him against Stoke City last weekend but the French centre-back has continued to make progress and could earn a recall against Villa.

This weekend’s clash is expected to come too soon for Jon Flanagan, who is also on the comeback trail after damaging his hamstring in the win over Cardiff before Christmas.

The full-back should be back available for the FA Cup trip to Bournemouth the following Saturday.

Henry and Werner are both expected to be at Anfield on Saturday for the first time since attending the Hillsborough Memorial Service last April.

Sahko.

[PTP]

if allen is fit and ready to start then i'd prob drop lucas.

also i'd prob start coutinho over sturridge for the following reasons...

1 - sturridge has come back earlier than expected, has had injury concerns all season and i reckon he will be more important for the derby

2 - coutinho, despite not getting goals has actually been playing reasonably, certainly in the early stages of the game

3 - I actually think that sturridge, at this moment, would be a better sub...ie, coutinho has been starting well but does tail off in games....i think sturridge coming off the bench after 60 mins would make more of an impact than then other way round.

finally yeah get sakho back in if he is fit for Toure.

----------------mignolet-------------------

johnson------skrtel------sakho--------cissokho

--------allen-----gerrard----henderson----

sterling----------suarez------------coutinho

sub gk
kelly
toure
lucas
sturridge

gives some decent options on the bench

[BigChief]

@PTP

[Yozza]

Rodgers on Allen and Sakho fitness

16th Jan 2014 - Latest News

Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Joe Allen's return to training ahead of Liverpool's clash against Aston Villa on Saturday – and the manager intends to check on the condition of Mamadou Sakho over the coming days.

Both players picked up injuries during Liverpool's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on December 29.

Allen was replaced by debutant Brad Smith on the hour mark due to an abductor problem, while his French teammate, Sakho, was taken off moments before the final whistle with a hamstring issue.

Rodgers faced the media at Melwood on Thursday afternoon and during the briefing, the manager was pressed on the fitness of his squad.

"We've got Joe Allen back," said Rodgers. "Joe returned in training and we'll just wait and see how young Sakho is over the next day or so.

"We're slowly getting our players back. Jon Flanagan and Jose Enrique are still out but we're looking better."

Daniel Sturridge is one injured star who has made a return to the side in recent weeks. The striker was introduced into the game against Stoke City last weekend with Liverpool holding a slender 3-2 lead at the Britannia Stadium.

He made an instant impact, driving forward to pick out Luis Suarez, who whipped a strike past Jack Butland for 4-2, before Sturridge added a well-taken effgort of his own late on to seal a 5-3 win.

Rodgers had nothing but praise for the England international, who returned with a flourish following seven weeks sidelined due to an ankle problem.

"My opinion on Daniel has only been reinforced through the time that I have worked with him," said Rodgers. "Overall I think he's got a wonderful opportunity over the next couple of years of being world-class.

"He has every tool, he has every quality to be a world-class striker, similar to what Luis Suarez is. If we get him onto the field on a regular basis, if he gets a bit of luck and stays clear of injury, then he can be [world-class] for sure.

"This period out with injury has refreshed him mentally. He comes back in the second part of the season now in a real good moment. I think it really signified how hard he worked in his injury period when he came into the game at the weekend.

"He made an immediate impact, physically he looked very strong and mobile and fast in his reactions. That's a great credit to him and how focused he's been on getting back."

[SB]

Liverpool have been handed a double fitness boost as owners John W Henry and Tom Werner fly in to attend Saturday’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Anfield.

The owners are coming over to sign cheques for new players IMO.

[topscorer]

I suppose this game is a bit like a Boston derby for them isn't it with Kraft owning the Patriots. Will Kraft be here?

[Chazza]

Do you mean Randy Lerner?