GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times BST)
606: DEBATE
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By Jonathan Stevenson
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez: "The players know that it is an important game for us and we have to show character on the pitch. If we can attack together and defend together maybe we can keep the balance. Today is going to be a physical game. Every game for us until the end of the season is important now and this is the first one."Stoke boss Tony Pulis: "I’ll be amazed if Liverpool come here as anything other than a team who wants to prove a point and I think it makes it a lot more difficult for us. But it’ll be a fantastic atmosphere and the fans will be looking forward to it against one of the biggest clubs in the world."1234: Senor Benitez just needs the three points now, but it’s a tough trip to Stoke that lies in store for Liverpool this lunchtime. A year ago, after the original “facts rant”, he took his team to the Britannia Stadium andwatched them horribly labour to a goalless draw.They were top then, too. Today, only victory will do.1230: Stevo’s Predos:
Stoke 1-1 Liverpool
Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland
Man Utd 3-0 Burnley
Tottenham 4-1 Hull
Wolves 0-0 Wigan
Lawro’s Premier League predictionsFrom Alex, Merseyside, via text on 81111: "I’m a Liverpool fan and quite content with that team, it’s good that Rafa realises he can’t play the Gerrard-Torres formation without Gerrard and Torres. Looks like three centre-backs and two wing-backs rather than a proper 5-3-2. Probably a 3-2-4-1. Basically, Liverpool will win."From chrisu1970 on Twitter:](http://twitter.com/chrisu1970)"Six defenders & two defensive midfielders in the starting line-up. A new low! Unacceptable. What is Rafa doing to our club"From 5ForKeeps on 606:](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A61962320)"Although the line-up is a bit negative, why is everyone jumping on Rafa for not picking Aquilani or Maxi Aquilani played the full 120 mins against Reading and Maxi hasn’t played for Atleti in a while. So take a chill pill, key for Liverpool today is to battle and win. Moan afterwards for gods sake… if it doesn’t work."1221: Do drop us a line. But remember, if you are at a game you score more points, and if your banter is particularly awesome you’ve got a great chance of seeing your name up in lights. So get texting to 81111 (UK) and +44 7786200666 (worldwide),**bare your soul on 606](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A61962320)andTweet the ridiculously-named Stevo_football.**](http://twitter.com/Stevo_football)Options.**Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez: **"If the message is always the same, it’s because it has to always be the same. I’ve got five years on a contract and I cannot stop fighting, I have to continue. At this moment, we are in the race and when you are in the race you have to fight as much as possible."1217: Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen returns from his finger injury for **Stoke City. Liverpool **are without injured trio Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun. Midfielder Javier Mascherano is back from a four-match ban, while Fabio Aurelio and David Ngog also start. Defender Daniel Agger also misses out with Sotirios Kyrgiakos coming in, while midfielder Alberto Aquilani drops to the bench where he is joined by new signing Maxi Rodriguez.1215: Alan Green on BBC Radio 5 live calls Liverpool’s line-up today “inexplicable”. The omission of £20m midfielder Alberto Aquilani, in particular, has infuriated the commentator. Looking at that team, it’s hard to see how they can win today (that’s an away banker, if ever I saw one).
BBC Radio 5 live’s Chris Waddle: "I’ve tried to analyse why Liverpool aren’t doing very well. I just think in the full-back areas and wingers they’ve never, ever improved the team. The centre of the side is very good, but if you stop them playing there you stop the team. I cannot remember a winger this team having that you would struggle to play against."1209: Stoke v Liverpool line-ups:
Stoke: Sorensen, Huth, Abdoulaye Faye, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Delap, Whitehead, Diao, Etherington, Sidibe, Sanli.
Subs: Simonsen, Whelan, Lawrence, Fuller, Pugh, Collins, Wilkinson.
Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Insua, Degen, Lucas, Mascherano, Aurelio, Kuyt, Ngog.
Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Riera, Maxi, Spearing, Darby, Pacheco.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)1207: Firstly, credit where credit is due. After a shatteringly demoralising week, Rafael Benitez showed on Friday that he has not lost his sense of humour,mimicking his actions from a year ago by pulling a sheet of paper from his pocket, saying ‘right, some facts,’ and - as the tension in the room became unbearable (probably) - proceeding to apologise to Liverpool fans for their rubbish form.You can go either way on this, but I’m a fan. Well done, Rafa.1203: Um, what I actually meant was thatPortsmouth’s home Premier League game against Birmingham has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.Welcome to Saturday’s action, and on a classically sodden January day, football is our little ray of sunshine.1200: The snow lingered for longer than anyone could have anticipated, but when the rains came, they did so with vengeance, wreaking havoc on all they surveyedThis article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.