Liverpool will be hoping to avoid a League Cup upset when they take on Carlisle United on Wednesday evening.

The Reds have endured a mixed start to the new season and will be wary of facing their League Two opponents at Anfield.

Liverpool

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It has been a difficult start to the campaign for Liverpool, who are without a win in their last five games and have already come under intense pressure.

Brendan Rodgers has borne the brunt of the criticism for his team's displays and another poor result against Carlisle could spell disaster for the manager.

There was more cause for concern at the weekend, as the Reds played out a 1-1 draw against Norwich City, in the first of four successive games at Anfield.

Despite the underwhelming result, a major positive to take from the match was the return of Daniel Sturridge, who had spent the past five months out on the sidelines.

With crucial Premier League matches against Aston Villa, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur in the next month, they will hope that Sturridge and his teammates can quickly return to form to help reignite their European aspirations.

Recent form: WDLLDD

Carlisle United

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Having finished 20th in League Two last season, Carlisle have made a promising start to the new campaign.

They are currently 10th in the table with 13 points on the board and sit just four points below league leaders Leyton Orient.

The Cumbrians had actually gone into their match with York City at the weekend on the back of three successive league victories, and a fourth win looked likely when they raced into a two-goal lead.

However, their opponents hit back to score two late goals as the game finished in a 2-2 draw to slow their early-season momentum.

Despite the result, they will head to Anfield high in confidence after recording upsets in their first two League Cup matches this season.

Keith Curle's side earned a 3-1 win over League One outfit Chesterfield in the first round, before following that up with a 2-1 victory at Queens Park Rangers in the next round to send them through once again.

Recent form: WWLWWD

Team News

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Liverpool are expected to make a number of changes ahead of their Premier League clash against Aston Villa this weekend.

The Reds will have to do without Christian Benteke, who is suffering from a hamstring problem, so Divock Origi could be given the chance to impress up front.

There may also be starts for Adam Bodgan, Jordan Rossiter and Danny Ings, while Sturridge could also be given a run-out as he looks to return to full fitness.

Meanwhile, Carlisle will expect their main attacking threat to come from Jabo Ibehre, who has scored nine goals in nine games this season.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Bogdan, Gomez, Toure, Sakho, Clyne, Rossiter, Can, Firmino, Moreno, Ings, Origi

Carlisle United possible starting lineup:
Gillespie, Miller, Raynes, Archibald-Henville, Grainger, Joyce, Kennedy, Sweeney, Dicker, Ibehre, Asamoah

Head To Head

These teams have played each other on eight previous occasions, with Liverpool winning six and the other two clashes ending in draws.

The most recent meeting between the clubs came in 1989 where the Reds romped to a 3-0 victory in the third round of the FA Cup as they went on to win the tournament.

We say: Liverpool 3-0 Carlisle United

Liverpool will be missing a few of their best players, but they should still have enough quality to win this evening. Their opponents have already shown their threat in this competition, although a win at Anfield may be a step too far for the Cumbrians, which is why we are backing the Reds to progress.

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