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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
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


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