Lucas comes into midfield for the Reds after injury ended Joe Allen’s season, while Paul Lambert’s team make only one change after beating QPR 3-2 in their last game

Daniel Sturridge is on the bench but Pepe Reina and Jamie Carragher return for Liverpool for their visit to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Luis Suarez starts in attack and is supported by Stewart Downing and Philippe Coutinho, while Daniel Agger is preferred to Martin Skrtel.

Lucas, meanwhile, returns to central midfield ahead of Joe Allen, whose season has been ended by a shoulder injury.

Paul Lambert’s Villa, meanwhile, also line up in a 4-3-3 formation with Andreas Weimann, Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor leading the line.

Ciaran Clark has a shoulder injury so Nathan Baker switches to centre-back and Joe Bennett returns at left-back. Otherwise, Villa are unchanged after beating QPR 3-2 last time out.

Aston Villa: Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Bennett; Westwood, Bannan, Sylla; Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor.

Subs: Given, N’Zogbia, Delph, Dawkins, El Ahmadi, Bowery, Lichaj.

Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Enrique; Gerrard, Lucas, Henderson; Downing, Suarez, Coutinho.

Subs: Jones, Coates, Skrtel, Shelvey, Sterling, Suso, Sturridge.