West Ham host Liverpool in the Premier League on Wednesday hoping to increase the pressure on Rafa Benitez.
The Liverpool boss has endured a torrid season as the Reds - who were tipped to be major title contenders after heavy summer investment - have stuttered on the field, while uncertainty continues behind the scenes.
Reds owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks appear to be growing increasingly unwelcome on Merseyside amidst ongoing rumours that the Americans are keen to sell the club.
And West Ham will hope to make the most of the Reds' woes by collecting three points at Upton Park.
Hammers boss Alan Curbishley has spoken of his side's need to focus on a place in the top six this season and three points against Liverpool would certainly help this cause, while also severely denting their visitor's UEFA Champions League aspirations.
If Portsmouth slip up away to Manchester United, a victory for Curbishley would see his side quietly move to within one point of Pompey in ninth place.
And the Hammers will welcome back Dean Ashton and winger Matthew Etherington as they go in search of a rare victory against the Reds.
West Ham are on a run of 11 games without success against Liverpool, but Curbishley will hope star striker Ashton can produce a performance to mirror that of the 2006 FA Cup final when the forward terrorised the Reds backline in a narrow defeat in Cardiff.
Etherington will also return to the Hammers starting line-up after joining Ashton on the sidelines for the 1-1 draw with Manchester City, while former Red Craig Bellamy and Nolberto Solano have also regained match fitness.
However, summer signing Julien Faubert is set to miss out as the midfielder is struggling with a calf problem.
Benitez is expected to name a strong XI after watching his second string side flirt with the romance of the FA Cup and narrowly avoid a humiliating defeat to Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday.
The Reds were twice forced to come from behind in a hard-fought 5-2 victory against their non-league opponents and Benitez, who has yet to see his side record a league win in 2008, will be demanding improvements.
Andrei Voronin, Daniel Agger and Alvaro Arbeloa are all absent through injury, but Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Jose Reina and Jamie Carragher should return as Liverpool seek a victory which could see them reclaim fourth spot - should Everton fail to beat Tottenham.
The Liverpool boss has endured a torrid season as the Reds - who were tipped to be major title contenders after heavy summer investment - have stuttered on the field, while uncertainty continues behind the scenes.
Reds owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks appear to be growing increasingly unwelcome on Merseyside amidst ongoing rumours that the Americans are keen to sell the club.
And West Ham will hope to make the most of the Reds' woes by collecting three points at Upton Park.
Hammers boss Alan Curbishley has spoken of his side's need to focus on a place in the top six this season and three points against Liverpool would certainly help this cause, while also severely denting their visitor's UEFA Champions League aspirations.
If Portsmouth slip up away to Manchester United, a victory for Curbishley would see his side quietly move to within one point of Pompey in ninth place.
And the Hammers will welcome back Dean Ashton and winger Matthew Etherington as they go in search of a rare victory against the Reds.
West Ham are on a run of 11 games without success against Liverpool, but Curbishley will hope star striker Ashton can produce a performance to mirror that of the 2006 FA Cup final when the forward terrorised the Reds backline in a narrow defeat in Cardiff.
Etherington will also return to the Hammers starting line-up after joining Ashton on the sidelines for the 1-1 draw with Manchester City, while former Red Craig Bellamy and Nolberto Solano have also regained match fitness.
However, summer signing Julien Faubert is set to miss out as the midfielder is struggling with a calf problem.
Benitez is expected to name a strong XI after watching his second string side flirt with the romance of the FA Cup and narrowly avoid a humiliating defeat to Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday.
The Reds were twice forced to come from behind in a hard-fought 5-2 victory against their non-league opponents and Benitez, who has yet to see his side record a league win in 2008, will be demanding improvements.
Andrei Voronin, Daniel Agger and Alvaro Arbeloa are all absent through injury, but Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Jose Reina and Jamie Carragher should return as Liverpool seek a victory which could see them reclaim fourth spot - should Everton fail to beat Tottenham.
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