Brendan Rodgers will reintroduce talismen Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez into the starting line-up after both were on the bench for Thursday’s shock 3-2 defeat at home to Udinese.

Raheem Sterling should also start after failing to start in the Europa League tie, but the match will come too soon for Jose Enrique (knee) and Martin Kelly (knee).  Lucas Leiva (thigh) is a long-term absentee but Joe Cole is fit again after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Jonjo Shelvey is still banned after picking up a three-match suspension for his red card against Manchester United.

Tony Pulis has a fully fit squad to choose from, aside from the suspended Andy Wilkinson, so is likely to name an unchanged XI from the side that dispatched Swansea last weekend.

That means there is still no place for Michael Owen in the starting line-up with top scorer Peter Crouch, in excellent form.

• Don’t be expecting too many goals on Sunday – there have been just 11 scored in eight Premier League games between the sides

• Having scored 22 goals in 85 appearances for Liverpool, Peter Crouch (pictured) has only scored once in 10 games played against his former side.

• Stoke City have never beaten Liverpool in a top-flight match in 49 attempts.

• Stoke have not won any of their last 12 away games, scoring only six goals in the process.

• Liverpool will be looking for their first back-to-back league wins since December 2011 after last week’s 5-2 victory over Norwich.

• Brendan Rodgers’ side have only won two of their 12 league games at Anfield in 2012, drawing four and losing six.