Having suffered a setback adjoin West Brom, Liverpool will be attractive to get aback on clue back they face Manchester City at Anfield, alive on ESPN 2 at 2000 BST on Monday night.
Liverpool have undergone a resurgence under new manager Kenny Dalglish after a slow start and have won six of their last ten Premier League games, including vital wins over Chelsea and Manchester United. However, two away defeats to West Ham and West Brom have shown that there is still much work to do and, with no Europa League or cup campaigns to focus on, the target is a place in Europe for next season as they currently lie five points (and one game) behind Tottenham in fifth.
The ability to call upon new signings Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez has been a major boost, however, the side have been beset by an injury curse that has seen them robbed of Daniel Agger, Martin Kelly, Glen Johnson and captain Steven Gerrard in recent games.
While Liverpool have beaten Man Utd and Chelsea in recent games, City have come up short. Inconsistent form that has seen them draw with Birmingham and lose to Aston Villa means that they risk slipping into fourth place if Chelsea win their game in hand. Of course, Champions League football would represent a massive success for a club like City if they finish there but, given the recent investment into the side, it is a requirement rather than a dream.
Manager Roberto Mancini has had the temerity to complain about a lack of squad depth due to injuries and the ongoing suspension of Kolo Toure, but with only doubts over defensive duo Jerome Boateng and Micah Richards, his side are in decent shape.
A 5-0 win over Sunderland was motivated by a rallying call from chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak according to the players, but they may need more than that if they are to arrest a run of results that has not seen them win at Anfield since 2003.
Liverpool to watch: Luis Suarez. The Uruguay international has already shown himself to be a class act with his performances for Liverpool since arriving in January. Fast, tricky and with an excellent eye for goal, the forward has fitted in very well to Dalglish's tactical plans and has been praised this week by strike partner Carroll. His quick feet and incisive play in the final third have given Liverpool an extra dimension and Suarez is being tipped to be a star player in the side for years to come.
Manchester City player to watch: Joleon Lescott. In the absence of Kolo Toure, Lescott has been playing in his favoured central defensive position. A strong and quick defender, who is also good in the air, he has been caught out a few times in terms of concentration of late, and was particularly culpable against Ghana while playing for England. However, he has shown an improvement and will certainly be keen to cement his place in the first XI as the season winds down.
Key Battle: Jamie Carragher v David Silva. Playing out of position is not a new experience for Carragher, who has made a career out of being a utility man. Preferred in the centre, Liverpool's full-back woes mean he will again be shunted out wide where he will be tasked with stopping the threat of Spain winger Silva. Carragher's commitment is his best asset, but he has lost his pace and is sometimes caught out of position. Silva has been on fire of late and will be looking to exploit any gaps in Liverpool's defence with his array of skills. With excellent vision, good technique and his incisive late runs, the winger is a constant threat, although one could argue that he is not as physical as his opponent and could be bullied out of the game.
Trivia: Man City have won more penalties than any other side (nine) and Liverpool have scored in all of their last 13 Premier League outings.
Stats: Eleven of the 12 goals Liverpool have scored in the 13 Premier League games against Man City since August 2005 have been scored in the second half, while Man City have scored the highest percentage of goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches (20%) and the lowest percentage of goals in the final 15 minutes (10%).
Odds: Liverpool (2.60), Man City (2.80) and the draw (3.20) are on action at bet365 but Suarez to account aboriginal and Liverpool to win 2-0 is 36.00.
Prediction: With one eye on the abutting bold with Man Utd in the FA Cup, City may booty their eye off the ball. Liverpool's acceptable almanac at home (they accept absent aloof one in their aftermost 11) should be beggarly they prevail.
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