Liverpool will climb to the top of the Barclays Premier League table if they continue their winning run against Cardiff City on Saturday and ahead of the match they were boosted by the news that leading goalscorer Luis Suarez has signed a new "long-term" deal to stay at Anfield.
"I am delighted to have agreed a new deal with Liverpool and have my future secured for the long term," the 26-year-old Uruguay striker who has scored 17 goals in the Barclays Premeir League this season, said. "We have some great players and the team is growing and improving all the time. I believe I can achieve the ambitions of winning trophies and playing at the very highest level with Liverpool. My aim is to help get us there as quickly as possible."
Brendan Rodgers' side have bounced back well from a shock loss to Hull City earlier this month, posting wins over Norwich City, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur. The Anfield outfit have scored 14 goals in those three matches - with the 5-0 win at Spurs on Sunday hailed as their best performance under the manager. Despite missing stars Steven Gerrard (hamstring) and Daniel Sturridge (ankle), stand-in captain Suarez scored a double and set up another two as Liverpool stunned the hosts.
Sitting two points behind leaders Arsenal - who do not play third-placed Chelsea until Monday - Liverpool manager Rodgers is hoping his squad can cope despite the notable absentees.
"The squad we have at the moment is still relatively small, we have got a few players out," Rodgers said. "But I'll always look from within, like I have done whenever we have had injuries, when young Jon Flanagan came into the team or Raheem Sterling came into the team. There's very much a togetherness here, and that's one of the key facets of the season so far."
Defenders Sebastian Coates and Jose Enrique (both knee) join influential midfielder Gerrard and striker Sturridge on the sidelines.
Cardiff enter the match on the back of a much-needed victory over West Bromwich Albion with Peter Whittingham's header ending their five-match winless run in the top flight. Cardiff sit 15th in the table, four points above the relegation zone.
Former Liverpool attacker Craig Bellamy (knee) will face a late fitness test before the match against the Reds.
The two sides have only met twice in the last 50 years, each time in the League Cup, with Liverpool prevailing on both occasions. Liverpool edged Cardiff 2-1 in round four of the competition in 2006-07, before toppling the Welsh side on penalties in the 2012 final, which ended 2-2 after extra time.
Liverpool (from): Jones, Mignolet, Agger, Cissokho, Flanagan, Ilori, Johnson, Kelly, Sakho, Skrtel, Toure, Alberto, Allen, Henderson, Ibe, Lucas, Aspas, Coutinho, Moses, Sterling, Suarez.
Cardiff City (from): Lewis, Marshall, Moore, Amondarain, Brayford, Caulker, Connolly, Hudson, Taylor, Theophile-Catherine, Turner, Cowie, Gunnarsson, Kim, Kiss, Medel, Mutch, Noone, Whittingham, Bellamy, Campbell, Cornelius, Maynard, Odemwingie, Smith, Velikonja.
Match Appointments
Referee: Lee Probert. Assistants: R Ganfield, M Scholes. Fourth Official: P Dowd.
Referee: Lee Probert. Assistants: R Ganfield, M Scholes. Fourth Official: P Dowd.
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