Sports Mole previews Liverpool's Premier League clash with European rivals West Ham at Anfield, where Daniel Sturridge could make his return after five months out.

Daniel Sturridge could make his comeback from a five-month injury layoff when Liverpool host West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday.

The England striker has not played since the 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in August due to a series of setbacks in his recovery from calf and thigh problems.

Sturridge scored 21 Premier League goals last season and has been badly missed by a Reds team whose other forwards have failed to step up to the plate.

Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert have just three top-flight goals between them this season, while £16m signing Mario Balotelli has been even more disappointing, having failed to net in 12 league appearances.

Much of the responsibility has fallen on the 19-year-old shoulders of Raheem Sterling, whose performances in a central role have helped the eighth-placed Merseysiders regain ground on their rivals for a top-four finish.

With Philippe Coutinho also in sparkling form behind him, Liverpool have gone six league matches unbeaten and are now only five points adrift of the Champions League places, having been 10 back in December.

However, the pair could not unlock Chelsea on Tuesday as Brendan Rodgers's side suffered an extra-time defeat in the Capital One Cup semi-finals, courtesy of Branislav Ivanovic's header and Thibaut Courtois's heroics in goal.

Having played all 120 minutes in the full-blooded affair, captain Steven Gerrard could be dropped to the bench this weekend, with Adam Lallana coming into the forward three in what could be Liverpool's only change, with Sturridge also starting among the substitutes.

Mamadou Sakho limped off in the war of Stamford Bridge, but is expected to be fit. With Kolo Toure at the Africa Cup of Nations, Dejan Lovren would be the most likely to deputise for the Frenchman in defence.

West Ham are well in the hunt for Europe themselves and are actually above the Reds in the table, thanks in no small part to the contributions of two Liverpool flops who will be determined to prove a point at Anfield.

Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing scored only nine league goals between them after signing for a total sum of £55m, but have already combined for 10 this season, with the latter also chipping in with seven assists.

After scoring a late winner against Bristol City in the FA Cup last weekend, Diafra Sakho, who is involved in a club versus country row over his fitness, could be given the nod over Enner Valencia as Carroll's strike partner.

Sakho never made it to the AFCON, but Cheikhou Kouyate is still there and thus remains unavailable. That means that Alex Song, rumoured to be a target of Liverpool next summer, will be the deepest of the diamond midfield.

Sam Allardyce has fitness doubts over defenders Joey O'Brien and James Collins, but James Tomkins should overcome a niggle to be defensive partner to Winston Reid, who looks poised to stay until the summer at least.

Liverpool have not lost to West Ham in the last 13 meetings between the two clubs at Anfield, but were beaten 3-1 by the Hammers at Upton Park earlier this season.

Liverpool:

Form in Premier League: DWWDWW
Form in all competitions: WWWDDD

Possible starting lineup: Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Sakho; Markovic, Henderson, Lucas, Moreno; Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling

West Ham:

Form in Premier League: WLLDDW
Form in all competitions: DDDDWW

Possible starting lineup: Adrian; Jenkinson, Reid, Tomkins, Cresswell; Song, Nolan, Noble; Downing; Carroll, Sakho

Sports Mole says: 1-1