Liverpool, who have not given up on catching up or even overtaking Manchester United, will host Arsenal in English Premier League action on Tuesday at Anfield Road.
Skipper Steven Gerrard will probably sit the game out due to a groin injury, leaving his club partners Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher (pictured), Xabi Alonso, and Fernando Torres to face the Gunners.
Liverpool goalkeeper Reina, currently at the top of the best goalkeepers’ rating with 111.37 points, will have a chance to widen the gap between him and second-placed Petr Cech. The gap between the two is now at 10 rating points.
Jamie Carragher (111.26 points) will try to displace from fourth place in the rating of best defenders Arsenal’s Bakari Sagna (119.94 points), who is returning after a virus infection. Another duel will pit in the midfield Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas (121.65 points), who is sixth in the rating, against Liverpool's Xabi Alonso (117.69 points).
Strikers Dirk Kuyt and Fernando Torres, who are second and third respectively in the rating of Premier League forwards, will attempt to close the gap between them and Chelsea’s Didier Drogba (221.46 points). Torres (180.37 points) had a hat-trick in the April 4 match between the two sides. Due to a groing list of injured players, Arsenal will be left without their ‘big guns’ Adebayor (176.19 points) and Robin van Persie (125.46 points).
Tentative starting lineups:
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Fabio Aurelio, Riera, Alonso, Mascerano, Kuyt, Torres, N’Gog.
Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Toure, Sivestre, Eboue, Diaby, Song, Fabregas, Arshavin, Nasri, Bendtner.
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