Ground: Anfield.

Manager: Gerard Houllier.

Nickname: Reds or Pool.

Current position: 4th.

Last time out: Liverpool 2 (Murphy 25, Gerrard 49), Birmingham 2 (Morrison 61 and 90).

How they lined up: Dudek, Carragher, Hyypia, Henchoz (Heskey 45), Gerrard, Riise Diao 22), Hamann, Murphy, Diouf (Berger 80), Owen, Traore. Not used: Kirkland, Baros.

Injury update: Swiss centre-back Stephane Henchoz pulled out of Wednesday's draw with Birmingham at half time with a calf strain and is struggling to be fit.

Form guide: Houllier believes Liverpool should be five points clear at the top of the league by now. But three successive 2-2 draws - Wednesday's at home to Birmingham was the second time in a row they have squandered a 2-0 lead - have left the Frenchman frustrated.

There are those on Merseyside who fear Michael Owen, currently stuck on 111 goals after netting just once in six games, is in the doldrums but the Reds' boss, who has been trying to bed in a new front-line combination ever since spending £10million on Senegal star El Hadji Diouf, sees no cause for concern.

"I don't just feel sorry for Michael Owen, I feel for my team," he says. "He has been a bit unlucky and unfortunate but the goals will come, I have no worries about that.

"The last three games we could have scored 10 more goals than we have scored."

Seven of Liverpool's 10 goals this term have come from midfield leading the manager to ponder: "We are getting what I have asked for and that is more goals from midfield, but just imagine what we will be like when our strikers are on their form also."

Match odds (supplied by Done): Wanderers 10-3, Liverpool 11-8ON, draw 9-4.