At the turn of the year, who would have thought that Hull City would find themselves entangled in the relegation scrap? Once touted as the best newly promoted side ever to grace the Premier League, they now sit just three points above the danger zone in 16th place as we enter the final five rounds of the season.
Having opened their maiden top-flight season with a nine-game unbeaten streak, Phil Brown's men have won just once in their last 17 league outings. In the last two weeks they have lost to Sunderland and Middlesbrough, both direct rivals in the fight for survival.
So, safe to say, it is not in the best circumstances that they come up against a side who are pushing for top honours and simply cannot stop scoring. Nevertheless, the manager believes there could hardly be a better time for his struggling Tigers - who drew at Anfield in December - to come up against such a formidable opponent.
"We're in a vein of form where we need to arrest the situation as soon as possible and what better time than at a packed KC Stadium against one of the best teams in the world," Brown said earlier this week.
"We've had situations thrown at us in the last two years that would suggest Hull City versus Liverpool will be a one-sided affair. But we have our own thoughts about that.
"I've always said if we bring our best to the table and we are as organised as we can be, we can give anyone a game at this level."
While Hull are clinging on for dear life, Liverpool are similarly desperate to keep touch with those ahead of them - 'those' meaning league leaders Manchester United.
The Reds' incredible 4-4 feast against Arsenal on Tuesday night allowed Sir Alex Ferguson's mob to skip three points clear at the top of the table the following day, and with a game still in hand. Thus, with just five rounds left, victory on Humberside this weekend is the only option.
The curious thing is that, whilst they are now in danger of letting United off the leash, the Merseysiders are perhaps the form team in England. They've racked up an astonishing 20 goals in six league games, but questions are now being asked of their defence after conceding eight in their last two outings - a stat that does not please Pepe Reina.
The goalkeeper said on Thursday, "We are scoring a lot of goals but we have to try and improve in defence. Scoring goals is the most difficult thing in football but now we must sort some of the problems we're having in defence.
"We've always had the balance between attack and defence. That's why we're always there in the Champions League and cup competitions, because we are a team with balance. We have to get back to this way."
This call for a more measured approach is perhaps at odds with Liverpool's need to win every remaining game to have a realistic shot at a first Premier League crown - or any silverware at all, for that matter. Thus, it will be interesting to see what line Rafael Benitez's troops take at the KC Stadium this Saturday.
FORM GUIDE
Hull City
Apr 18 Sunderland 1-0 Hull City (Premier League)
Apr 11 Middlesbrough 3-1 Hull City (Premier League)
Apr 04 Hull City 0-0 Portsmouth (Premier League)
Mar 22 Wigan Athletic 1-0 Hull City (Premier League)
Mar 17 Arsenal 2-1 Hull City (FA Cup)
Liverpool
Apr 22 Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal (Premier League)
Apr 14 Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool (Champions League)
Apr 11 Liverpool 4-0 Blackburn Rovers (Premier League)
Apr 08 Liverpool 1-3 Chelsea (Champions League)
Apr 04 Fulham 0-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
TEAM NEWS
Hull City
Anthony Gardner is expected to miss the rest of the season with a back injury, while Jimmy Bullard won't return from a knee problem until the summer.
Captain Ian Ashbee is suspended, but Bernard Mendy - who starred in the reverse fixture - and Daniel Cousin are in contention after sitting out the loss to Sunderland through injury.
Probable XI: Myhill - Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson - Fagan, Boateng, Marney, Kilbane - Geovanni - Manucho
Liverpool
Steven Gerrard is expected to miss out once again as he continues to battle back from a groin injury, meaning the job of supporting Fernando Torres will likely be shared between Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun.
Sami Hyypia is still carrying a knee knock, so either Martin Skrtel or Daniel Agger will partner Jamie Carragher in central defence.
Probable XI: Reina - Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio - Alonso, Mascherano - Benayoun, Kuyt, Riera - Torres
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Hull City
When the Tigers were flying early in the season, Michael Turner's ultra-solid defending grabbed many a headline. The young centre-back leads the league in clearances, and he will be a busy man if 'Pool carry their recent form into this clash.
Liverpool
He has been a bit-part player since arriving at Anfield in 2007, but Yossi Benayoun has proved a valuable commodity throughout the back half of the season. The Israeli playmaker put on a scintillating display against Arsenal in midweek, and his invention could prove pivotal in Gerrard's absence.
Having opened their maiden top-flight season with a nine-game unbeaten streak, Phil Brown's men have won just once in their last 17 league outings. In the last two weeks they have lost to Sunderland and Middlesbrough, both direct rivals in the fight for survival.
So, safe to say, it is not in the best circumstances that they come up against a side who are pushing for top honours and simply cannot stop scoring. Nevertheless, the manager believes there could hardly be a better time for his struggling Tigers - who drew at Anfield in December - to come up against such a formidable opponent.
"We're in a vein of form where we need to arrest the situation as soon as possible and what better time than at a packed KC Stadium against one of the best teams in the world," Brown said earlier this week.
"We've had situations thrown at us in the last two years that would suggest Hull City versus Liverpool will be a one-sided affair. But we have our own thoughts about that.
"I've always said if we bring our best to the table and we are as organised as we can be, we can give anyone a game at this level."
While Hull are clinging on for dear life, Liverpool are similarly desperate to keep touch with those ahead of them - 'those' meaning league leaders Manchester United.
The Reds' incredible 4-4 feast against Arsenal on Tuesday night allowed Sir Alex Ferguson's mob to skip three points clear at the top of the table the following day, and with a game still in hand. Thus, with just five rounds left, victory on Humberside this weekend is the only option.
The curious thing is that, whilst they are now in danger of letting United off the leash, the Merseysiders are perhaps the form team in England. They've racked up an astonishing 20 goals in six league games, but questions are now being asked of their defence after conceding eight in their last two outings - a stat that does not please Pepe Reina.
The goalkeeper said on Thursday, "We are scoring a lot of goals but we have to try and improve in defence. Scoring goals is the most difficult thing in football but now we must sort some of the problems we're having in defence.
"We've always had the balance between attack and defence. That's why we're always there in the Champions League and cup competitions, because we are a team with balance. We have to get back to this way."
This call for a more measured approach is perhaps at odds with Liverpool's need to win every remaining game to have a realistic shot at a first Premier League crown - or any silverware at all, for that matter. Thus, it will be interesting to see what line Rafael Benitez's troops take at the KC Stadium this Saturday.
FORM GUIDE
Hull City
Apr 18 Sunderland 1-0 Hull City (Premier League)
Apr 11 Middlesbrough 3-1 Hull City (Premier League)
Apr 04 Hull City 0-0 Portsmouth (Premier League)
Mar 22 Wigan Athletic 1-0 Hull City (Premier League)
Mar 17 Arsenal 2-1 Hull City (FA Cup)
Liverpool
Apr 22 Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal (Premier League)
Apr 14 Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool (Champions League)
Apr 11 Liverpool 4-0 Blackburn Rovers (Premier League)
Apr 08 Liverpool 1-3 Chelsea (Champions League)
Apr 04 Fulham 0-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
TEAM NEWS
Hull City
Anthony Gardner is expected to miss the rest of the season with a back injury, while Jimmy Bullard won't return from a knee problem until the summer.
Captain Ian Ashbee is suspended, but Bernard Mendy - who starred in the reverse fixture - and Daniel Cousin are in contention after sitting out the loss to Sunderland through injury.
Probable XI: Myhill - Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson - Fagan, Boateng, Marney, Kilbane - Geovanni - Manucho
Liverpool
Steven Gerrard is expected to miss out once again as he continues to battle back from a groin injury, meaning the job of supporting Fernando Torres will likely be shared between Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun.
Sami Hyypia is still carrying a knee knock, so either Martin Skrtel or Daniel Agger will partner Jamie Carragher in central defence.
Probable XI: Reina - Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio - Alonso, Mascherano - Benayoun, Kuyt, Riera - Torres
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Hull City
When the Tigers were flying early in the season, Michael Turner's ultra-solid defending grabbed many a headline. The young centre-back leads the league in clearances, and he will be a busy man if 'Pool carry their recent form into this clash.
Liverpool
He has been a bit-part player since arriving at Anfield in 2007, but Yossi Benayoun has proved a valuable commodity throughout the back half of the season. The Israeli playmaker put on a scintillating display against Arsenal in midweek, and his invention could prove pivotal in Gerrard's absence.
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