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Liverpool logo
Premier League
Jan 18, 2014 at 5.30pm UK
 
Aston Villa logo

2-2

Sturridge (45'), Gerrard (53' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-2)
Weimann (25'), Benteke (36')

Preview: Liverpool vs. Aston Villa

Sports Mole previews the Premier League clash between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield, where the visitors have won just once in 12 seasons.

Liverpool will be hoping that reunited strike pairing Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge can fire them to victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday.

The two reconvened their lethal partnership from earlier in the season when Sturridge returned from a seven-week injury layoff as a substitute in Liverpool's 5-3 win over Stoke City last weekend, and immediately supplied Suarez with a goal before scoring himself.

Sturridge's possible recall to the Reds starting XI is likely to be the only change made by Brendan Rodgers, with Raheem Sterling or Philippe Coutinho the most probable to be dropped to the bench.

Aly Cissokho has started the club's last four games at left-back and should continue there as Jose Enrique, John Flanagan, Daniel Agger and Mamadou Sakho are all injured, leaving Kolo Toure and Martin Skrtel as Rodgers's only available senior central defenders.

Villa boss Paul Lambert may feel it sensible not to risk Nathan Baker, who left the field with concussion in the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal on Monday, but Ron Vlaar, who returned to skipper the side at the Emirates Stadium following two spells on the sidelines, is fit to lead the Midlands outfit from centre-back.

Christian Benteke ended a three-month goal drought against the Gunners and is poised to continue as Villa's lone frontman despite the loan arrival of Grant Holt from Wigan Athletic.

Lambert's side have won four matches away from home this season - more than any other team in the bottom half of the table - and Andreas Weimann may be restored on the wing to improve their counter-attacking threat.

Recent form

Liverpool: WWLLWW

Villa: LWDLLL

Possible starting lineups

Liverpool: Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Cissokho; Gerrard, Lucas, Henderson; Coutinho, Suarez, Sturridge

Villa: Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Luna; El Ahmadi, Westwood, Delph; Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor

Sports Mole says: 3-1


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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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