Liverpool entertain Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day after yet
another demoralising Premier League setback at basement boys Portsmouth
last Saturday.
The Reds lost 2-0 at Fratton Park and to make matter worse,
Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano was shown a straight red card
for a crude lunge on Tal Ben-Haim and he will now miss the next four
games.
- Match centre
- Premier League fixtures
Manager Rafael Benitez will be eager for 2009 to come to a close as
soon as possible as his side sit in eighth place and well off the pace
at both the top of the table and the Champions League places.
They are also out of the Champions League after a disastrous group
campaign and they will need to rally and come out fighting in order to
rectify their current situation.
Just two wins in their last eight league games is simply not good
enough for the five-time European champions and with Fernando Torres
and Steven Gerrard back in first-team contention, they need to get back
to winning ways.
On the injury front, Albert Riera faces a race against time to feature following a hamstring injury.
Mick McCarthy's Wolves will have no reason to fear their more illustrious opponents.
They have won three of their last four Premier League outings,
including a heroic 1-0 success at Tottenham Hotspur, and they have been
invigorated by their recent form.
Big-money summer signing Kevin Doyle has been amongst the goals and he will relish playing on the big stage at Anfield.
Only a 3-0 defeat at Manchester United has blemished their recent
results, but this is no disgrace losing to the current holders.
Long-term injury victims David Edwards, Andyw Keogh and Michael
Kightly (all ankle) and Matt Murray (knee) are all expected to remain
on the sidelines for a considerable amount of time.
Source: DSG