Saturday, April 07, 2012

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Aston Villa

Liverpool play host to Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday with both sides desperate for all three points.

The Reds are looking to arrest a horrible run of form, which has seen them lose six of their last seven Premier League matches to culminate in them dropping to eighth spot in the table.

Villa are also in need of a morale-boosting victory as they are nervously looking over their shoulders in the battle to stay up, with Alex McLeish's troops sitting just five points above the drop zone.

Liverpool go into the game without No.1 goalkeeper Pepe Reina following his sending off against Newcastle last weekend.

Summer signing Alexander Doni is in line to make his belated debut for the club as Reina's replacement with Brad Jones set to provide cover on the bench.

Defensive trio Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly are still working their way back to fitness and are set to miss out again.

Charlie Adam remains sidelined with a knee ligament problem, while long-term absentee Lucas is continuing his rehabilitation from his cruciate knee injury

Reds boss Kenny Dalglish could restore Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson to the starting line-up after being named on the bench at Newcastle.

Villa could be boosted by the return of full-back Alan Hutton after he missed last weekend's defeat to Chelsea with a calf problem.

Young striker Andreas Weimann, who made his first league start against Chelsea, is doubtful with an ankle injury suffered during that game.

Charles N'Zogbia is making good progress on his knee injury, but the trip to Anfield could come too soon for the Frenchman.

Gabriel Agbonlahor will captain Villa in the absence of Stiliyan Petrov as he begins his treatment on his leukaemia condition.

With Richard Dunne and Carlos Cuellar both sidelined Nathan Baker is set to continue in central defence alongside James Collins.

Darren Bent is out for the rest of the season with his ankle injury, while Fabian Delph remains unavailable with an ankle problem.

Possible starting XIs:
Liverpool: Doni, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Enrique, Henderson, Gerrard, Spearing, Downing, Bellamy, Suarez.

Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Baker, Collins, Warnock, Albrighton, Herd, Gardner, Ireland, Agbonlahor, Heskey.

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