Aston Villa will be without suspended winger Ashley Young for Tuesday's Barclays Premier League visit of Liverpool.
Young has started all 19 of Villa's league games to date this season but will have to serve a one-game ban after collecting his fifth yellow card of the campaign against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Villa boss Martin O'Neill has hinted he may make changes, particularly with Liverpool having an extra 24 hours to recover following their Boxing Day victory over Wolves.
The likes of John Carew, Nigel Reo-Coker, Habib Beye, James Collins, Steve Sidwell and Fabian Delph will come into the equation for possible starts against Rafael Benitez's side.
O'Neill believes Liverpool are capable of repeating the feat of Arsenal last season and rescuing a Champions League spot via a long unbeaten run during the second half of the campaign.
The Villa boss recalls how his side were in pole position to claim a top four place before the Gunners hit top form in the final third of the season to overhaul them.
Now a similar challenge is confronting the Reds after a below-par opening half of the season and O'Neill believes they are capable of the same sort of feat.
O'Neill, whose side won 3-1 at Anfield in August, said: "Liverpool have lost a few games more than they would have thought. Last season they were terrific.
"They went through the whole season and lost two games. After three games of this season, they had lost two games, but they are getting a bit of momentum again.
"It was a big win for them at Anfield against Wolves at the weekend. We've got to be right ourselves, but they are still in there.
"I heard Arsenal were supposed to be imploding last season, just about February time, when I think they were in the middle of a 22-game unbeaten run!
"They finished the season very, very strongly and Liverpool are capable of doing the same thing. They are capable because it's Liverpool Football Club.
"Look at Arsenal now. Four weeks ago they were being written off for the title and now they are right bang in there. That's what can happen with the top clubs.''
Reds boss Benitez must decide whether to continue with Alberto Aquilani.
The Italian made his first Premier League start in Saturday's 2-0 win at Wolves but came off late in the game with a minor hamstring problem.
Benitez will also consider a recall for Holland forward Dirk Kuyt, who was rested for the Boxing Day victory, while Javier Mascherano misses out for the second game of a four-match suspension, while continuing his recovery from a knee injury.
Benitez admits Liverpool's brittle confidence will be on the line at Villa.
The Spaniard said: "People keep asking me why I said recently that I would categorically guarantee that we will be in the top four - but what do you expect from me?
"I have to say that. We have confidence and we have to do it because we are a top side.''
He added: "After the win over Wolves, we will now have more confidence and that will be very good for the whole team.
"But we know we have to keep winning to get fourth place. We need clean sheets and we now have to be ready for Aston Villa.
"We must discover if we have the confidence now to win there and to get closer to the top of the table.
"But we know Villa are a very good team who are ahead of us, and one we must beat.
"To get back to where we want to be we must start winning games in a row. If we do that at Villa it will be easier for us to keep our confidence higher.
"If we can win at Villa we will gain more confidence for the future.
"Villa, Spurs and Manchester City are all doing well and we know we must compete with them for fourth place.
"We know, though, that this time it is more difficult. Previously Villa have done well in the first half of a season and then lost games.
"But they have spent some money, they have good players, and we accept that they will make it difficult for us in the fight for fourth position.''
Young has started all 19 of Villa's league games to date this season but will have to serve a one-game ban after collecting his fifth yellow card of the campaign against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Villa boss Martin O'Neill has hinted he may make changes, particularly with Liverpool having an extra 24 hours to recover following their Boxing Day victory over Wolves.
The likes of John Carew, Nigel Reo-Coker, Habib Beye, James Collins, Steve Sidwell and Fabian Delph will come into the equation for possible starts against Rafael Benitez's side.
O'Neill believes Liverpool are capable of repeating the feat of Arsenal last season and rescuing a Champions League spot via a long unbeaten run during the second half of the campaign.
The Villa boss recalls how his side were in pole position to claim a top four place before the Gunners hit top form in the final third of the season to overhaul them.
Now a similar challenge is confronting the Reds after a below-par opening half of the season and O'Neill believes they are capable of the same sort of feat.
O'Neill, whose side won 3-1 at Anfield in August, said: "Liverpool have lost a few games more than they would have thought. Last season they were terrific.
"They went through the whole season and lost two games. After three games of this season, they had lost two games, but they are getting a bit of momentum again.
"It was a big win for them at Anfield against Wolves at the weekend. We've got to be right ourselves, but they are still in there.
"I heard Arsenal were supposed to be imploding last season, just about February time, when I think they were in the middle of a 22-game unbeaten run!
"They finished the season very, very strongly and Liverpool are capable of doing the same thing. They are capable because it's Liverpool Football Club.
"Look at Arsenal now. Four weeks ago they were being written off for the title and now they are right bang in there. That's what can happen with the top clubs.''
Reds boss Benitez must decide whether to continue with Alberto Aquilani.
The Italian made his first Premier League start in Saturday's 2-0 win at Wolves but came off late in the game with a minor hamstring problem.
Benitez will also consider a recall for Holland forward Dirk Kuyt, who was rested for the Boxing Day victory, while Javier Mascherano misses out for the second game of a four-match suspension, while continuing his recovery from a knee injury.
Benitez admits Liverpool's brittle confidence will be on the line at Villa.
The Spaniard said: "People keep asking me why I said recently that I would categorically guarantee that we will be in the top four - but what do you expect from me?
"I have to say that. We have confidence and we have to do it because we are a top side.''
He added: "After the win over Wolves, we will now have more confidence and that will be very good for the whole team.
"But we know we have to keep winning to get fourth place. We need clean sheets and we now have to be ready for Aston Villa.
"We must discover if we have the confidence now to win there and to get closer to the top of the table.
"But we know Villa are a very good team who are ahead of us, and one we must beat.
"To get back to where we want to be we must start winning games in a row. If we do that at Villa it will be easier for us to keep our confidence higher.
"If we can win at Villa we will gain more confidence for the future.
"Villa, Spurs and Manchester City are all doing well and we know we must compete with them for fourth place.
"We know, though, that this time it is more difficult. Previously Villa have done well in the first half of a season and then lost games.
"But they have spent some money, they have good players, and we accept that they will make it difficult for us in the fight for fourth position.''
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