Saturday, September 24, 2011

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Wolves

Steven Gerrard could return to Premier League action this weekend as Liverpool aim to put two consecutive league defeats behind them with victory over Wolves.

After back-to-back setbacks at Stoke and Tottenham, the Reds stopped the rot at Brighton in the Carling Cup on Wednesday and welcome Mick McCarthy's side to Anfield on Saturday for the return of league action.

Wolves were wounded in a surprise 3-0 home defeat to Queens Park Rangers last weekend, but went some way towards forgetting that loss with a backlash mauling of Millwall on Tuesday.

And they'll be out to replicate last season's success in Liverpool, having ended a 27-year wait for a win over the Reds as Stephen Ward sealed a 1-0 victory for Wolves in December 2010.

McCarthy's men have reason to be positive, too, as they're unbeaten on the road in four games and a fifth in succession will be a Premier League record for the club.

For Liverpool, boss Kenny Dalglish will hope to shore up a shaky defence which has conceded nine goals in seven games.

Dalglish has midfielder Charlie Adam available again after the Scot served a one-match ban at the Amex Stadium following his red card at Tottenham, but he faces a fight to keep his place with Gerrard now in the running for a central role.

The club captain played the last 15 minutes of the 2-1 win in what was his first appearance for six months after a lengthy injury lay-off, while Craig Bellamy's man of the match display in the game leaves him pushing for a start.

Martin Skrtel, who also served a ban at Brighton, is available again and he is expected to partner Jamie Carragher in central defence with Daniel Agger unavailable through a rib fracture.

Martin Kelly started in midweek and is expected to keep his place at right-back with Glen Johnson still yet to fully recover from a hamstring problem.

Wolves skipper Roger Johnson and striker Steven Fletcher will return to McCarthy's squad after their respective injuries.

Johnson missed the midweek 5-0 win over the Lions with a sore calf while Fletcher has recovered from a recent groin injury.

Kevin Foley (ankle), Jody Craddock (hamstring), Ronald Zubar (groin) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (knee) are still sidelined.

Possible starting XIs:

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Carragher, Enrique, Lucas, Adam, Bellamy, Downing, Kuyt, Suarez.

Wolves: Hennessey, Stearman, Johnson, Berra, Elokobi, Kightly, Henry, O'Hara, Jarvis, Ward, Doyle.

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