Date: Sunday, 12 January; Venue: Britannia Stadium, Stoke On Trent; Kickoff: 16:10 GMT Liverpool travel to Stoke City on Sunday searching for their first league win in the Potteries for 30 years. The Reds have recorded victories in other domestic competitions, including coming from behind courtesy of Luis Suarez's brace in October 2011 en route to winning the League Cup. Stoke have won each of their last three home Premier League matches with Liverpool and unbeaten at the Britannia in this fixture since returning to the top flight. Mark Hughes's men are also unbeaten in their last seven on their own turf. Brendan Rodgers's improving Reds suffered a setback in their mission to deliver Champions League football with successive defeats between Christmas and New Year to Manchester City and Chelsea. The Potters found little cheer over the festive period either, picking up just one point from nine available. Liverpool made heavy work of the reverse fixture. Simon Mignolet made a memorable debut at Anfield in the home goal, saving a penalty to preserve an opening day win after joining from Sunderland. Both teams come into this encounter off the back of FA Cup victories against lower league opposition. Rodgers's Reds avenged their shock exit last year by beating Oldham whilst Stoke slipped by Championship leaders Leicester City. A win for Liverpool would restore them to a top four place whilst the Potters could go tenth, depending on the outcome of Arsenal's trip to Aston Villa on Monday.
Team News
Jack Butland will play in goal for Stoke because of injuries to other keepers Asmir Begovic and Thomas Sorensen. Winger Oussama Assaidi is ineligible against his parent club, so Matthew Etherington or Marko Arnautovic should deputize. Robert Huth continues to convalesce after knee surgery, so Potters utility man Marc Wilson could continue in central defence. Jon Walters bagged a brace in the last meeting with the Reds at the Britannia. Charlie Adam faces his former club. Liverpool are expected to be without vice-captain Daniel Agger, who picked up a calf problem in the win over Oldham. Mamadou Sakho may return after a hamstring injury to deputize. Forward Daniel Sturridge is back from a sprained ankle and could play some part. Source: BBC
Likely Line-Ups
Stoke: 22 Jack Butland, 20 Geoff Cameron, 12 Marc Wilson, 17 Ryan Shawcross, 3 Erik Pieters, 15 Steven N'Zonzi, 6 Glenn Whelan, 19 Jon Walters, 16 Charlie Adam, 10 Marko Arnautovic/26 Matthew Etherington, 25 Peter Crouch 4-2-3-1 Liverpool: 22 Simon Mignolet, 2 Glen Johnson, 37 Martin Skrtel, 17 Mamadou Sakho, 20 Aly Cissokho, 8 Steven Gerrard, 21 Lucas Leiva, 31 Raheem Sterling, 14 Jordan Henderson, 10 Philippe Coutinho, 7 Luis Suarez 4-2-3-1
Jamie Clark is a qualified Web Journalist after undergoing professional training at the University of Sheffield. A prolific and accredited sports writer, he also enjoys classic comedy, historic fiction, 80s music and heritage.
