Manchester City-Liverpool Preview

Nov 19, 2009 - 11:03 AM NEIL RICHARDS STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Liverpool's talismanic captain Steven Gerrard is likely to return to the starting line-up as the Reds look to see off one of the pretenders to their place among the Big Four at Anfield on Saturday.

Sixth-placed Manchester City were the Premier League's biggest spenders in the summer in their quest to break into English football's elite, and with Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal having made their expected strong starts to the season, Liverpool's position among the EPL powerhouses appears most vulnerable.

A fully-fit Gerrard, however, turns a stuttering Liverpool into a different proposition entirely. Gerrard has been bothered by a groin problem, and although he saw limited action as a substitute in the 2-2 draw with Birmingham on Dec. 9, the England international says he is now firing on all cylinders.

"It took me two or three days to recover from that (Birmingham) game but I have spent the past week doing strengthening work and I'm feeling a lot better now," he told Liverpool's official website. "I'm looking forward to the weekend. There's no mental hurdle to cross.

"I've had a problem in my groin that has taken a while to get over but I'm just relieved the second (painkilling) injection seems to have done the trick.

"It's a case of so far so good and the aim now is to make sure I get a good week's training under my belt so I'm ready for the game with City."

The international break could not have come at a better time for manager Rafa Benitez, who is also likely to be able to call upon fit-again defenders Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson. Jamie Carragher will also return having served a one-match ban for a sending-off at Fulham.

"Agger had a small problem with his back but he's training," Benitez said. "I think he'll be okay for the weekend.

"Johnson has been training. Not full sessions, but training, so hopefully he'll be okay for the weekend too."

Leading scorer Fernando Torres is still out with a groin injury but strike partner David Ngog may still be available despite breaking his nose in a training session with France's Under-21 side and summer signing Alberto Aquilani is also in line to be handed his first start.

Former Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry was once top of Benitez's wanted list and the England regular makes his first appearance at Anfield since a surprise summer switch to ambitious City.

"We look at blocks of fixtures in team meetings and maybe set targets, but in training we just look at it one game at a time," Barry told City's official website. "All everyone is thinking about now is the Liverpool game and taking it from there if we can get a good result."

He added: "This is a very important period of the season coming up where we need to make things happen."

All the talk has been of Liverpool's poor run, but City have also been struggling in recent weeks and have failed to win any of their last five in the league. Their last outing brought a disappointing 3-3 at home with Burnley, a side without an away point up to that point.

Part of their slump can be blamed upon a porous defence - City kept clean sheets in their first three games of the season, but have managed just one in the subsequent eight.

"We know we have to be better defensively as a team," manager Mark Hughes said. "I know the players and their characters and I know we will get a response."

A win in Saturday's early game would take Liverpool above City and temporarily into fourth place. A sixth league defeat in their opening 13 matches, however, would equal their worst start since then 1953/4 season when they eventually finished bottom and were relegated.

City will be without Martin Petrov, who picked up a knee injury training with Bulgaria and will be sidelined for two weeks. Highly-rated defender Nedum Onuoha is close to a return after being out for two months with a thigh injury.

A potential club-versus-country row was avoided when Brazil opted not to play Robinho in friendlies against England or Oman after being named in the South Americans' squad despite City insisting he was not fit to play after being out for two months with an ankle injury.

The visitors' last win at Anfield came on May 3 2003, when Nicolas Anelka gained revenge on his former side with both goals in a 2-1 win, the decisive strike coming in the last minute. It is City's only success in their last 18 trips to Liverpool.

The corresponding fixture last season on Feb. 22 finished 1-1, Dirk Kuyt levelling after Alvaro Arbeloa had put through his own net.