So... Sunday and Man City then...

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I'll take a point.

The Mancs, Spurs and Soton still have to face them too, though for the last two, the games take place in May (and the last day of the league for Soton) so those encounters might be academic by then. A point gained this weekend may turn out to be an important additional one over that earned by one or two of these clubs' encounters with City.

On current form in the last couple of games, it doesn't matter if Sterling or Lallana starts beside Coutinho - they've been equally average. Sturridge is the same - I'd drop/rest him too if we had a better deputy, but we don't, so I wont / can't. I'd go with Lallana to start since he played fewer minutes against Besiktas, and bring Sterling off the bench to run at their defenders in the second half.

If Sakho is fit (Lovren for Sakho otherwise, with Toure on the bench):

--------------- Mignolet -------------------
------ Can ---- Skrtel ---- Sakho ------
Ibe ----- Hendo ---- Allen ----- Moreno
------ Lallana --------- Coutinho -------
--------------- Sturridge ------------------

Subs: Ward, Lovren, Manquillo/Johnson, Markovic, Sterling, Lambert, Balotelli

A defeat isn't the worst thing in the world but will still put a dent in our hopes and squeeze us further. So hopefully we can get at least a point.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Tough tough game after extra time and defeat.

Win this game and we will really be pushing for top 3.

Draw and we are still favourites in my eyes for fourth.

Lose and we can still get 4th but can't afford to slip up.

I'd go with

------------------------------Ming---------------------------

----------Can-------------Skittles----------Sahko--------

Markovic-------Hendo-----------Allen--------Moreno

-------------------Sterling--------Coutinho--------------

---------------------------Studge--------------------------

 

[Hansern]

Awful game yesterday considering City have 48 hours more to rest and prepare.
The players have probably just arrived in Liverpool and we'll Saturday to prepare for the game.

Sakho, Hendo, Coutinho and Markovic should come in to the side. That will help. Ibe was subbed and should be fine.
I'm tempted to start Balotelli aswell. Its either him or Sterling upfront. Studge will come off the bench.
There was a video from Melwood yesterday were Gerrard was back in training, running and stretching. Maybe he'll make the bench, or start. Lallana played a small part yesterday and should be fine.

Ming
Can Skrtel Sakho
Ibe Allen Hendo Markovic
Coutinho Lallana
Sterling

The big question marks here are obviously Can, Allen, Skrtel and Sterling. Luckily they're all young and fit. So should be fine. Well, Skrtel isnt young but he didnt look to shabby last night fitness wise.

All in all, might not be to bad.

 

[jexykrodic]

Different venue, different game, half the team changed. We finally get to measure our progress. Bring it on.

 

[mark1975]

Assuming everyone is back and fit:

------------------Ming------------------
--------Can--Skrtel--Sakho---------
-Ibe------Hendo---Allen----Moreno-
-------Sterling--------Coutinho-----
---------------Sturridge---------------

I wouldn't be surprised to see Lallana come in for Sturridge, with Sterling up top instead.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I wouldn't want Gerrard to start this.

If he's fit enough bring him on for the last 20 as an AM.

I'm not prepared to say I'll take a point tbh, if it's finishes a draw I'll not be unhappy (unless we've battered them!) but this city side have some weaknesses we can exploit on our day.

Big big test of Rodgers mettle & savvy here.

For me this is where managers can really prove their worth, picking the side up after a defeat is, in my eyes, one of the hardest tasks for a manager.

 

[Sherman]

No worries the Brazilian who doesn't score enough will play

 

[FoxForceFive]

Merged.

 

[Best Believe It]

We need to play all our players who keep the ball best. That means Henderson, Allen, Lallana and Coutinho. I'd put Sterling up front just because Sturridge isn't passing the ball currently, though the discrepancy between how Raheem is playing and the standard of play his advisors clearly feel he's reaching is the size of El Cap.

 

[Mors]

I'd take a draw today. But, their defence is all over the place at the moment and so is their form so we might be able to beat them. We've massively out played them the last few times but not got the results to show for it.

 

[Judge Jules]

I think we'll do 'em if we get our A game going on the day. It's a big "if" though, after playing yesterday.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

Should we win, I can't imagine how much pressure will be on us to beat Burnley. It's just not worth thinking about.

I just hope we lose and then we can get away with not beating Burnley.

 

[Frogfish]

----------------------------- Mignolet -------------------

------ Can ----------------- Skrtel --------------- Sakho (if fit - if not Toure)

Ibe ------------- Hendo ---------------- Allen (I wish there was another choice) ----- Moreno
(I suspect BR will play Markovic for Ibe)

------ Lallana -------------------------------------- Coutinho

---------------------------- Sturridge ------------------

 

[cloggypop]

I think we will lose, a load of fannies on here will be calling for the manager to be sacked but we will still get top 4 and win the FA cup.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I think we will lose, a load of fannies on here will be calling for the manager to be sacked but we will still get top 4 and win the FA cup.

I'm not averse to this opinion.

Whilst this city game is being lauded as 'massive' by the media & fans, I don't see it that way.

Games against Southampton, spurs & Utd are most pivotal in the hunt for fourth, whilst I'd expect city to take the same points off those three teams as off us.

 

[Oncy]

Mignolet

Can
Skrtel
Sakho

Moreno
Allen
Henderson
Markovic

Coutinho
Sterling
Lallana

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

I'm not averse to this opinion.

Whilst this city game is being lauded as 'massive' by the media & fans, I don't see it that way.

Games against Southampton, spurs & Utd are most pivotal in the hunt for fourth, whilst I'd expect city to take the same points off those three teams as off us.

Yep, a draw would be a good result, a loss not the end of the world.

As long as we go and beat at least one of United and Arsenal, we'll be pretty close at the end of the season.

 

[Dahuge]

Assuming everyone is back and fit:

------------------Ming------------------
--------Can--Skrtel--Sakho---------
-Ibe------Hendo---Allen----Moreno-
-------Sterling--------Coutinho-----
---------------Sturridge---------------

This is the team, packed with pace...

 

[Fabio]

Mignolet

Can
Skrtel
Sakho

Moreno
Allen
Henderson
Markovic

Coutinho
Sterling
Lallana

I would go for this is the lads are all fit

 

[Jack D Rips]

Sakho tweeted yesterday that he had been given the ok to train on Saturday. Not sure what that means for his chances of selection on Sunday.

 

[SummerOnions]

Mignolet

Can
Skrtel
Sakho

Moreno
Allen
Henderson
Markovic

Coutinho
Sterling
Lallana

Same. Maybe Ibe for Markovic

 

[Silver Sean]

Judging by last night I hope Can goes back into the back three.

 

[dmishra]

Wasn't Ibe taken off because of a knock?

Also think Sakho is confirmed to be out for this.

I'll go with:

-----------------------Mignolet
----------Can---------Skrtel-------Lovren
Markovic----Henderson---Allen------Moreno
---------------------------Coutinho
------------------Lallana
--------------------------Sterling

Sturridge and Balotelli on the bench.

 

[SummerOnions]

Toure over Lovren if Sakho is out

 

[Buddha]

Can looked shattered last night (great pen though).

Given Sterling played 120 mins and Sturridge would be risky after his injury, I'd go with Borini to do 60 mins of insane running and then bring Sterling (for Lallana) and Sturridge (for Borini) off the bench. Keep it tight and win it in the last 20 mins.

 

[keniget]

I'd settle for a draw right now because I fear we're going to get beat.

120mins on Thu and a load of injuries. Not ideal.

 

[hmmmmm1]

Being at home, we should hopefull for a draw at the minimum.

 

[peterhague]

I think we can win but it could be anything really. City are pretty unpredictable.

I don't think a defeat would be all that bad - if you'd offered me before the Soton game still being 5 behind Utd after this weekend I'd have taken that for sure.

 

[Hyena]

Has BR ever played for a draw?

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

I wonder if BR will play Mario.