Steven Gerrard has returned to the Liverpool starting XI for the New Year's Day clash with Leicester City at Anfield.

Kolo Toure has also been reinstated to the side in place of the suspended Martin Skrtel and will form a back three with Emre Can and Mamadou Sakho.

However, £16m summer signing Mario Balotelli has been left out of the matchday squad, with Rickie Lambert, Fabio Borini and youngster Sheyi Ojo providing attacking options from the bench.

Meanwhile, Leicester have made four changes to their side for the trip to Merseyside, with Leonardo Ulloa dropping to the bench.

Ritchie De Laet has replaced Paul Konchesky, who was sent off in Leicester's 1-0 win away to Hull on Sunday, while Danny Drinkwater, Matty James and Jamie Vardy have also come into the side.

Liverpool: Mignolet, Can, Toure, Sakho, Moreno, Gerrard, Lucas, Henderson, Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling
Subs: Ward, Lovren, Lambert, Manquillo, Borini, Markovic, Ojo

Leicester: Hamer, De Laet, Wasilewski, Morgan, Simpson, Drinkwater, Hammond, James, Schlupp, Mahrez, Vardy
Subs: Smith, Lawrence, Moore, Cambiasso, Ulloa, Knockaert, Nugent

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