All attention today is going to be on Malky Mackay as he managers Cardiff City for possibly the last time.
Mackay has remained strong and determined despite Vincent Tan doing his best to get him to quit. It's likely Tan will sack Mackay later for daring to be good at his job and popular with the fans.
There's been little focus on the Cardiff City players, nearly all signed by Mackay and the effect it will have on them. Will the instability off the pitch be reflected on it or will they dig deep and cause an upset that would make Tan's intentions to dismiss his manager even more ludicrous.
Cardiff are taking around 3,000 fans to Anfield for the early kick off and they will be fully behind Mackay.
Liverpool will go top of the Premier League if they win today. Striker Luis Suarez has just signed a new contract and he will be looking to add to his 17 goals already scored this season. That's 5 more than the whole Cardiff team put together.
Last weekend both sides won. Cardiff at home to WBA while Liverpool smashed Spurs 5 - 0 at White Hart Lane.
Early team news
With no new injury concerns the Reds could name an unchanged line-up, especially as options in midfield are limited with captain Steven Gerrard still out with a hamstring injury.
Striker Daniel Sturridge (ankle) and left-back Jose Enrique (knee) are still sidelined until the new year.
Cardiff have no new injury concerns ahead of their trip to Liverpool.
Craig Bellamy could yet return from a hamstring injury while Craig Noone is set to feature against his boyhood club after an impressive display against West Brom last weekend.
Andreas Cornelius is pushing for a first start in the Premier League but is likely to again have to settle for a place on the bench behind Fraizer Campbell.
The managers:
Brendan Rodgers
“Being top at Christmas would certainly be a statement,” he said. “I’d rather be there. It shows getting to near enough the halfway point of the season you’re the best team.
“It is a good statement, but something that can also give you the confidence and belief for the second half of the season. There is no doubt it will increase their confidence level.
“If you haven’t been there over a period of time it’s a new experience, but you’ve got to embrace it. You have to enjoy it.
“I’ve seen it already this week. I’ve seen the belief in training go up a notch and that’s because of a big performance in a big game. I see inherently now the belief in how we work.
“It's terrific reward for the players and it’s very satisfying for the supporters. They talk here of the Holy Trinity between players, managers and the supporters being all together and we have shown that real togetherness across the club.
“If we can stay like that and keep working we are going to be in with a great chance of achieving the objective.”
Malky Mackay
Assistant David Kerslake was sentto face the media. It was uncomfortable for Kerslake with the press wanting to know about Malky.
Match Appointments
Referee: Lee Probert. Assistants: R Ganfield, M Scholes. Fourth Official: P Dowd.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Cardiff have won on eight of their 15 visits to play at Anfield in all competitions.
- Their last meeting in any competition was the League Cup final in 2012. Liverpool won on penalties after the match finished 2-2 following extra time.
- Cardiff have won twice as many matches as Liverpool in their previous 30 encounters. Cardiff have won 18 times and Liverpool nine, with three draws.
Liverpool
- Luis Suarez has scored 17 goals in 11 league games this season, which is more than 10 of the 20 teams in the Premier League.
- Liverpool have scored 25 Premier League goals before half-time this season, more than any other side.
- The Reds have scored 14 goals in their last three league games and have scored 79 goals in 2013 - four more than Man City.
- They have scored three or more goals in three consecutive top-flight league matches for the first time for 26 years, when they set a club record of four matches with four or more goals in 1987.
- Liverpool have had the most goals scored by English players in the league this season (16).
Cardiff
- The Bluebirds have won four matches this season in the Premier League, and they have all been by a one-goal margin.
- They have failed to score a first-half goal in 13 Premier League matches this season - the joint-most in the top flight.
- Peter Whittingham's 65th-minute goal against West Brom last weekend ended a run of 335 minutes in the Premier League without one.
Teams
Liverpool (from): Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Sakho, Agger, Flanagan, Lucas, Henderson, Allen, Sterling, Coutinho, Suarez, Jones, Kelly, Toure, Alberto, Aspas, Moses, Cissokho.
Cardiff (from): Marshall, Connolly, Taylor, Caulker, Hudson, Turner, Whittingham, Medel, Cornelius, Campbell, Odemwingie, Brayford, Kim, Smith, Noone, Gunnarsson, Mutch, Cowie, Maynard, Theophile-Catherine, Lewis, Bellamy, John.