Matchday: Stoke vs Liverpool

Sotirios Kyrgiakos is likely to return for the visit to Stoke though according to Roy Hodgson the centre-back is still feeling after effects from the bout of tonsillitis which forced him out of matches with Chelsea and Wigan Athletic. Though their respective complaints have progressed the Liverpool manager says neither Joe Cole or Glen Johnson are in contention. Martin Kelly would probably return to the bench if Johnson were to return. Brad Jones is set to provide cover for Pepe Reina and be named as a substitute in place of Martin Hansen. Fabio Aurelio will join the Australian stopper as a replacement for his first involvement with the squad since late October. The Brazilian would make his first Premier League outing of the campaign if introduced. A late call will be made on Raul Meireles who left the field early during the week through illness. Daniel Agger remains a long term absentee. Stoke will welcome Ryan Shawcross back after the influential defender served a one-match suspension. Danny Higginbotham is expected to make way. Other than that change, plus the possible replacement of striker Ricardo Fuller with Tuncay, Tony Pulis is unlikely to alter the side which beat Birmingham City by the odd goal in five last Tuesday. Such a decision would see Jermaine Pennant face Liverpool for the first time since leaving Anfield. Mamady Sidibe has an Achilles tendon injury which may see him miss the entire campaign. The Reds may be unbeaten in their last four league matches but both sides have had testing seasons so far. The Potters can lay claim to some poor fortune and bad refereeing - with the exception of their midweek winner which appeared to include a handball in the build-up. Meanwhile, Liverpool have often been the architects of their own adversity. Though the Reds have also suffered poor decisions these have been isolated and there was a notable benefit from the officials in the opening goal at Anfield against Sunderland. The sides have met 120 times to date with Liverpool winning 61 games and drawing 33. 26 defeats have been suffered - 23 at Stoke - and just 14 victories have come in the Potteries. Three visits have been made to the Britannia Stadium. Liverpool debuting with an 8-0 win in the Worthington Cup which included a Robbie Fowler hat-trick during late November 2000. Since Stoke regained top flight status two seasons ago both Premier League matches have ended in draws. Stoke City from: Begovic, Huth, Faye, Shawcross, Collins, Pennant, Whitehead, Delap, Etherington, Jones, Tuncay, Fuller, Walters, Sorensen, Gudjohnsen, Wilkinson, Higginbotham, Whelan, Wilson Liverpool from: Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky, Poulsen, Gerrard, Lucas, Maxi, Kuyt, Torres, Jones, Jovanovic, Ngog, Spearing, Kelly, Shelvey, Eccleston, Meireles Referee: Martin Halsey Kick-off is at 5.30pm

Hicks Weaves Magic On Canadian PM

The former Prime Minister of Canada has claimed that former Liverpool owner Tom Hicks was subjected to a "character assassination" during last month's takeover. New England Sports Ventures (NESV) won the right to replace the Texan and business partner George Gillett at the Anfield helm but Brian Mulroney has accused the British media and business community of attempting to discredit Hicks in "an environment akin to a witch-hunt". Former chairman Martin Broughton along with commercial director Ian Ayre and then managing director Christian Purslow fought tirelessly in the High Court to see sanctions brought by Hicks and Gillett against NESV's takeover successfully lifted. But Mulroney, writing in yesterday's edition of The Times, claims that the current British Airways chief "took [Hicks's] asset against his will and devalued the club in a fire sale". Mulroney, who was Prime Minister of Canada between 1984 and 1993, is considered a friend of Hicks and branded the treatment of him as "truly disturbing". He claims that former owners Hicks and Gillett "dramatically increased the value of the club through considerable investment" and hired "a World Class manager" in Roy Hodgson as part of their increased spending on transfers and first- team personnel. After being defeated in London's High Court, Hicks is planning to take his case back to the courtroom prompting Mulroney's final parting shot, which asks: "how such a travesty of justice could have occurred in England, the birthplace of fundamental justice".

Hodgson Fires Warning To Johnson

Roy Hodgson has expressed frustration at Glen Johnson's form this term warning he should not count on remaining first choice for either club or country. Injury has restricted the right back to just one outing in the past seven club games and allowed those hungry for a run in the first team their chance. Johnson is expected to remain a key man in Fabio Capello's squad and could be picked for England's upcoming friendly with France. That may not be so straightforward domestically. Though Jamie Carragher has covered on the flank the 26- year-old has Martin Kelly snapping at his heels within the Liverpool squad. Without an improvement Hodgson warns that the man acquired from Portsmouth in the summer of 2009 could stay on the fringes at Anfield. "Johnson's the England right back, and if he plays like that, one would expect him to come back in," he said. "But then he'd have to play like the England right-back and up to now, to be quite frank, he's not performed - very often at least - to the level I'd expect of him. "You would have to ask him the question 'do you think you're playing at top form and are you playing like the best right-back in the country for your club?' "If he says yes, obviously we will have to agree to differ. And if he says no, then you'd have to ask the question why not?"

Liverpool Ready To Fight Chelsea For Armin Bacinovic

Liverpool are reportedly battling Chelsea to sign Palermo midfielder Armin Bacinovic. The 21-year-old Slovenian international has been earning rave reviews for his performances in Serie 'A' after joining in the summer, and a host of top European clubs are thought to have taken interest in the player. Reds boss Roy Hodgson is one of those reportedly monitoring the player, with talkSPORT claiming that Liverpool are 'locked in battle' with Chelsea for the player's signature. Bacinovic began his career at homeland club Maribor, making his debut in the Intertoto Cup as a teenager and staring in the Slovenian PrvaLiga for seasons to follow. The Rosanero signed the player in August this year after the sides clashed in the Europa League, and the defensive midfielder has made an instant impact with a couple of goals alongside combative performances. New Liverpool owners NESV have promised Hodgson money to spend in the transfer window, with a £35 million transfer war chest thought to be available at Anfield. 'Five or six' players are thought to have been targeted on Merseyside, with Hodgson linked with moves for Urbe Emanuelson, Juan Mata and Jonathan Reis all touted as potential Liverpool moves. A £12 million valuation has been placed on the player's head, and although AC Milan have been linked with the player, a Premier League move is thought to be the player's likely destination. Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti will be monitoring the situation as the Stamford Bridge outfit look to strengthen further, but Liverpool are desperate to make signings and could make the first move for the player.

Liverpool Legend Dalglish Joins Twitter

LIVERPOOL FC icon Kenny Dalglish has joined the massed ranks of Reds followers on Twitter. The Anfield legend's son Paul @ pauldalglish broke the news on the micro-blogging site yesterday, confirming that @ KennethDalglish was in fact the man himself and not an impersonator. Kenny introduced himself to his followers - whose numbers grew in incredible numbers, with over 17,000 already keeping track of his updates less than 24 hours after he joined - in his own inimitable style with a gentle dig at old striking partner Ian Rush before lamenting the Reds' failure to beat Wigan last night while admitting he did enjoy the Lancashire side's hospitality. Twitter has grown massively in popularity over recent months with many in the public eye clearly feeling it is an effective of managing their own publicity and LFC are already well represented. New club owner John W Henry @john_w_henry is a regular Tweeter as his wife Linda Pizzuti @linda_pizzuti, who recently announced via the social media site how much she enjoyed her first experience of Anfield . Current squad members Lucas Leiva @LucasLeiva87, Ryan Babel @ryanbabel, Brad Jones @Brad_ Jones1, and Emiliano Insua @ EmilianoInsua (currently on loan at Galatasaray) are also fairly regular contributors while ex- Reds Xabi Alonso @xabialonso and Alvaro Arbeloa @aarbeloa17 update with their progress at Real Madrid.

Jovanovic Shrugs Off Liverpool Exit Rumours

Milan Jovanovic insists he has no intention of leaving Liverpool despite his failure to build on his exploits with Standard Liege. Liverpool won the race to sign the Serbian hitman, who scored the only goal in his country's historic win over Germany in the World Cup this summer, but he has yet to show the form which brought him to the attention of several top clubs, including the Reds and AC Milan. A return to the Belgian league has been mooted with Anderlecht understood to be willing to offer the 29-year-old attacker a swift exit from Anfield and although flattered by the interest, Jovanovic has refused to throw in the towel after just four months in England. He said: "Since I moved to England I've done everything regarding my job the way the coach wants from me. "I was really focused on not making many tactical mistakes. I've not done things my way. I didn't do things my way, I didn't take risks with my moves and actions. "I'm just thinking about Liverpool. I'll stay here because I'm no quitter or a person who doesn't fight. "I know, that Anderlecht rate me very highly and I'm proud about that. "Anderlecht are the biggest club in Belgium and I respect them, but I have a contract with Liverpool and I'll stay."

Hodgson Relying On Stevie-Torres To Lift Reds

Liverpool will have to rely on Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard to restore success to the club, concedes manager Roy Hodgson. Anfield's often dynamic duo combined to open the scoring in last night's 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic and have been instrumental in all bar one of the Reds' league goals this season, whether as scorers or creators, but could see the burden placed upon them intensifying. Torres' recent return to form in addition to his reunion with sparring partner Gerrard has seen Liverpool unbeaten in their past five Barclays Premier League games and Hodgson believes that the duo will be instrumental in reviving the club's fortunes. He said: "It was an excellent goal and the move and the counter-attack and the combination play once again between Torres and Gerrard which got the latter in for his shot off the underside of the crossbar was another good example. "But that is what you expect from players of their ability. Everyone knows they are international stars of the Premier League. "If we are going to do well this season we need those two firing on all cylinders, we need Torres' goals and Gerrard's manipulation and control of the midfield. "We only saw it in glimpses against Wigan whereas against Chelsea and in our previous victories against Napoli, Blackburn and Bolton it was present in much larger doses. "But it was tough going to Wigan. We are on a good run but after four straight victories you know it is going to be hard to get the fifth. "I suppose I have to be satisfied in some ways we are still unbeaten and we are one more point towards the total we want to achieve."

Kerzhakov Reveals Liverpool Approach

Aleksandr Kerzhakov claims he has been approached by Liverpool over a potential January switch. The Russia international has hit 12 goals in 26 appearances for Zenit St Petersburg this season and has alleged that his agent was contacted by representatives from Anfield over a move in the upcoming winter transfer window. But former Sevilla striker Kerzhakov, 27, insists that he is currently happy to remain with Zenit, who he rejoined this year after a four-year absence from the Petrovsky Stadium. He said: "The talk about Liverpool is not baseless. The British club came to my agent with a proposal but I did not give an answer. "I have other things to think about and in all respects I am happy in Russia. My team is in first place in the national championship and I have always said that I wanted to play for Zenit. "In the case of Liverpool I will take no initiative, but I can count the fingers on one hand for the amount of clubs I could theoretically go to. "This is because Zenit is playing beautiful, modern football and the club is growing rapidly. And I am here, at home."

Kelly Thrilled With Chelsea Game Performance

Liverpool defender Martin Kelly enjoyed his test against Chelsea. The 20-year-old found himself up against Ashley Cole and Florent Malouda on Sunday - arguably the most potent left- sided combination in the Barclays Premier League - and he admits he enjoyed the challenge. "I enjoyed playing against Malouda and that was my main focus to keep him quiet," he told liverpoolfc.tv. "It was a good test for a young lad like me playing against him and Ashley Cole but I couldn't have done it without the rest of the lads who helped me out a lot. "Raul Meireles played just in front of me and he was important. He is a quality player. He listens all the time and I thought we worked well together. "The atmosphere was brilliant. I remember being in the stand watching us play in the Champions League and enjoying the atmosphere but playing against Chelsea felt even better."

Hodgson Delighted With Kelly Performance

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is delighted with the progress this season of young defender Martin Kelly. Hodgson handed the 20-year- old his first start in the Barclays Premier League against Chelsea and the boss admitted he was delighted with his display. Hodgson told Liverpoolfc.tv: "He didn't let me down and he did very well in the game. "He has done okay also in the games he has played in the Europa League and we think he is a player with a future. "We believe he has got a lot of work to do to become as good as player as some of our other regulars in the back four, but he's certainly got a lot of good qualities. "I think it was very good for him to be thrown in so late in the day and to stand up and be counted when it mattered most."

Valentin In Liverpool Sights

Swiss youngster Valentin Stocker is being tracked by Liverpool. Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson - who managed the Switzerland national team - is keen to use his contacts in Swiss football to push through a deal for the 21-year- old FC Basel midfielder. A fleet-footed attacking midfielder with an eye for goal, Valentin would certainly fit with the ethos of new Liverpool owners NESV in their quest to invest in young talent to develop a squad for the future at Anfield.

Liverpool Tracking PSV Winger Jonathan Reis

Liverpool are tracking PSV Eindhoven striker Jonathan Reis. The Brazilian forward joined PSV from the Atletico Madrid academy in 2007, staring for the reserves side before a serious injury thwarted his Eredivisie career before it had even began. Briefly loaned out to Tupi in his homeland, Reiss appeared set for a Phillips Stadium exit before the arrival of Fred Rutten. Promoted to the first team, Reis would then have his contract terminated in January 2010 after failing a drugs test. He made his return six months later with a new contract at the club, and has been rejuvenated ever since. The striker scored a hat-trick in the 10-0 thrashing of Feyenoord, and has seven goals in four league games since penning the new three-year deal. His form has triggered interest from across Europe, with Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson sending scouts to watch the player in the 2-1 weekend win against Utrecht.

Poulsen Rues Bad Form

Christian Poulsen believes he is beginning to adapt to the pace of the Barclays Premier League and has set his sights on making a key contribution to Liverpool's bid to break back into the top four. The Danish midfielder appeared as a late substitute as the Reds saw their winning run come to an end with a 1-1 draw at Wigan. He admits the result wasn't what Roy Hodgson's men would have hoped for, but remains optimistic their hard work on the training ground will reap its rewards in the months ahead. "It's been a tough start for us but we are improving and want to get in the top four as quickly as possible," said Poulsen. "I thought we started the game well and it looked like we were going to win it. But Wigan were strong in the second half and the early goal helped them. "After a brilliant win over Chelsea it was frustrating for us but it's a tough Premier League this season with teams taking points off one another. Every team can beat each other - there is no easy game and Wigan showed that against us." He added: "It was good for me to play the last 20-25 minutes and I wanted to show my best for the team. "There have been many changes at Liverpool and I have come in this season as a new player. We have a new manager and new owners. I am trying to learn as quickly as possible to adapt to the league. The manager has shown a lot of faith in me. "I know I've got a lot of work to do and I will work hard every day in training at Melwood so I can help this team. "Liverpool is a great club and I feel really proud to be here. I feel I can improve and give a lot more."

Gerrard Pledges To Get Liverpool Back Where It Belongs

Steven Gerrard today pledged to get Liverpool back to winning ways in Stoke on Saturday after shouldering some of the responsibility for our 1-1 at the DW Stadium. The ever-honest skipper knows he had a fantastic opportunity to clinch all three points late in the game when he hit the crossbar. And Gerrard also held his hands up to a misplaced one-two with Paul Konchesky just seconds before Hugo Rodallega's equaliser. But the 30-year-old - who assisted Fernando Torres's opening goal with a delightful ball through the Wigan defence - insists he and his teammates can take some positives from yet another game without defeat. "I tried to play a one-two that, if it had come off, could have been a good move," Gerrard explained. "You don't expect it to lead to a goal but, when it does, you have to take responsibility. "Then when I went through on goal, I maybe struck my shot too well but I should have scored - I expected to. As we haven't taken maximum points, maybe people should point a finger at me. "Besides those things, I'm happy with my form. After a fantastic win over Chelsea and having gone 1-0 up, of course we understand why people will be slightly disappointed." Gerrard believes the memorable victory over Carlo Ancelotti's team took a lot out of Liverpool - and matters were not helped by the fact Wigan had an extra day's preparation following their defeat to Blackburn on Saturday.

Injury Update: Miereles Simply Sick

Roy Hodgson has explained his decision to swap Raul Meireles with Jonjo Shelvey, declaring that the Portuguese international was sick. Hodgson made some odd substitutions tonight, although Meireles for Shelvey wasn't the most puzzling (Poulsen on for Kuyt when we were drawing 1-1!), and after the game the Liverpool boss confirmed: "He was sick. I don't know how long it will take for him to recover. He felt ill just before the game in the warm up. He wanted to play and got through the first half but at half-time he was sick again, so there was no option." Liverpool fans are still waiting to hear why Poulsen was let near the stadium, never mind brought on for Kuyt!

Lack Of Squad Depth Worrying Hodgson

Roy Hodgson pointed to Liverpool's "stretched" squad as the reason behind his side's 1-1 draw against Wigan. Liverpool struggled to a point after fours wins on the trot. "It was nothing like the performances we've shown in recent weeks and that might be because this was a game too far," said the Liverpool manager. "Our recent games have put a lot of demands on a fairly small squad with quite a few senior players injured," added Hodgson, whose side lie ninth. With Daniel Agger, Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Glen Johnson injured, Hodgson started with 20-year-old right-back Martin Kelly, while fellow youngsters Jonjo Shelvey and Nathan Eccleston came on as substitutes. Martinez thrilled with Latics display Fernando Torres had put Liverpool ahead early in the first half but Wigan grabbed a deserved second-half equaliser when Hugo Rodallega powered in a shot. "At the moment, we've got a lot of work to do if we are going to be the big club that we want to be and everyone wants us to be," said Hodgson. "I would be lying to our supporters if I said there will not be more games like this where we have to scrap and fight and work hard for our points. "I thought we started well and finished well but I thought there was a long period in between when we were nowhere near as good as we can be. "If you talk about the clear goal chances, perhaps, we could argue we fully deserve what we got but if you think about the actual play itself then we were fortunate to come away with a point."

Gritty Wigan Stop Reds Wagon

Liverpool's victorious run in the Premier League came to an end as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium on Wednesday night. After their impressive win over defending champions Chelsea last Sunday, hopes were high for Roy 's team and the match seemed to be headed the predictable way when Fernando Torres gave the visitors the lead as early as the 7th minute of the match. The Spanish striker scored his fifth goal of the season after latching on to an excellent through pass from Steven Gerrard and slotting it home comfortably past the Latics custodian. However, Liverpool went into their shell after scoring the opener as the midfield kept sitting deep and tried to release the strikers with counter- attacking moves. That allowed the Wigan players more space and time and players like Charles N'Zogbia began to gradually get into the game. Wigan were finally rewarded for their sustained pressure as Hugo Rodallega brought the hosts level in the 52nd minute. A marvellous cross from Stam on the right could only be parried by the Liverpool goalkeeper and the ball fell to Rodallega who made no mistake with his shot. Reina had a busy night as he had to make quite a few saves to keep Liverpool in the game. Captain Steven Gerrard almost got a winner for the visitors in the 79th minute after running on to a great pass from Maxi Rodriguez but his shot rebounded off the woodwork. Reina was called into action once again towards the end as he denied N 'Zogbia a late winner. Although the game stretched out in the latter stages, both teams failed to capitalise on their chances and the match ended a 1-1 draw with the hosts probably shading it on performance. Liverpool remain ninth in the table with 16 points from 12 matches. They face Stoke City in their next league match and the fans will be hoping that Roy Hodgson manages to adopt a more attacking approach against the 'weaker' teams. His substitutions tonight certainly raised a few eyebrows, especially when he brought on Christian Poulsen in place of Dirk Kuyt with twenty odd minutes to go given the fact that both Milan Jovanovic and David Ngog were available on the bench. Maybe, the Liverpool manager needs to be more positive in the future because dropping points against teams like Wigan is a strict no-no at clubs vying for a Champions League spot.

Matchday: Wigan Vs Liverpool

Liverpool FC will be looking to continue their resurgence under their new owners as they travel to the DW Stadium on Wednesday night for their mid- week Premier League fixture against Wigan Athletic. After three consecutive victories in the league, the last one coming against defending champions Chelsea, Liverpool have made their way back to the top half of the table and lie only five points adrift of Manchester City in the much-coveted fourth position. Wigan, on the other hand, have taken only one point from their last three matches, a 1-1 draw at home against Bolton, and presently lie in the relegation zone. On paper, it should be an easy game for Liverpool but given the uncanny habit that Liverpool have of dropping points against weaker oppositions, Roy Hodgson's men must ensure that their dream run does not end against a team battling relegation. Injuries to defenders have been a thorn in Roy 's side in recent times but Martin Kelly's impressive performance at right back against Chelsea means that although Glen Johnson may be in contention for a return to the first team, there is no need to hurry him into it and risk a longer absence. Sotirios Kyrgiakos is still out with tonsillitis and Joe Cole will also miss the game after failing to recover from his hamstring injury. Fabio Aurelio and Ryan Babel are reportedly fit but Roy may be reluctant to throw them into the mix immediately. The other big name missing is of course Daniel Agger who is out for quite some time. Martin Hansen will continue to be Pepe Reina 's deputy as Brad Jones is sidelined with a shoulder injury. Roberto Martinez also has selection problems of his own. Steve Gohouri is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card against Blackburn Rovers in the last game and Emmerson Boyce is probably not fit for a return yet. So, the full-back position might pose a problem for Martinez. Also, midfielder James McCarthy is still out recovering from an ankle operation. Wigan will be looking to take heart from the corresponding result last season as Rodallega's goal gave the Latics all three points. However, it is the only encounter that has gone their way with the results reading 9-2-1 in Liverpool 's favour. Given the way the Liverpool juggernaut is rolling at the moment, come Wednesday night, the match might seem much longer than only ninety minutes to Roberto Martinez and his men. Anything other than a comprehensive Liverpool win would be a surprise indeed.

Liverpool Monitoring Dutch Star Dzsudzsak

Sources in Holland have suggested that Liverpool are interested in PSV Eindhoven's Hungarian winger Balazs Dzsudzsak. Apparently the Reds had scouts in the stands, along with Tottenham Hotspur, for the match between PSV and FC Utrecht at the weekend and the Dutch press have reported that both Liverpool and Spurs were scouting 23 year old Dzsudzsak. The Hungarian has been in impressive form in the last few seasons, finishing last season 's campaign with 14 goals as a left winger. He has already scored 7 goals this season with five coming in just five European games. Dzsudzsak has been a long term target for Arsenal, and with Liverpool lacking any real width on the left hand side, the Hungarian could be an interesting target.

Hodgson: I Believe In Cole

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is adamant Joe Cole will come good. The former Chelsea star snubbed offers from the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United to join Liverpool as a free agent after the World Cup, but he has struggled to impress. But Hodgson said: "Joe Cole is a magnificent professional and another one who would have wished for a better start to his Liverpool career. "Joe really wanted to come here. He thought hard and long before choosing Liverpool - he had other options and could have taken an easier option and stayed in London. "But he moved to the north west to a top club - a difficult club to impress at - because he really wanted to do it, and I think he will. Maybe he will just need that little bit of time. "I certainly haven't lost faith in him and I can only hope the fans have not lost faith in him and will give him plenty more chances."