EPL previews - 21-22 November

Game of the week: Liverpool vs Man City

as previewed by Chris Thomas for www.football-previews.co.uk

It's a case of the has-beens taking on the wannabes at Anfield in the lunchtime kick-off this Saturday, as a still-struggling Liverpool face a Manchester City side one place above them in the Premier League table.

The hosts continue to be ravaged by an injury crisis to match that of England's rugby union coach Martin Johnson, but talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard has said he's confident that he'll be fit to pull on that red shirt this weekend to add some much needed verve to the midfield.

His side will be welcoming him back with open arms given that they've not won in any competition since defeating the champions in a display that, in all honesty, probably raised more questions about the Manchester United defence than the ability of Liverpool to challenge for the title.

Rafa Benitez, a much-maligned figure in the press and among some quarters of ex-Reds (step forward Ronnie Whelan), will be going into the game without Glen Johnson, Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera with doubts also hanging over the availability of Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres, but Gerrard's inclusion will provide a much-needed fillip.

If Torres doesn't make it, Benitez will have to decide between Dirk Kuyt, David Ngog and Andrei Voronin for the role of striker, with the captain potentially operating in a role just off the front-man.

However, with such a long list of absentees from the middle of the park, Benitez may opt to employ Gerrard in a centre midfield role, Kuyt down the right and entrust N’Gog and Voronin with the job of scoring goals - a front pairing that does little to inspire confidence, I'm sure.

City started the season seemingly able to answer the questions on the lips of most football fans: Will the defence keep any clean sheets? Will Mark Hughes get the best out of Adebayor? Will Shay Given still be worth his weight in gold?

Things were going swimmingly for them until the end of September, with even an agonising injury-time defeat in the Manchester derby seeming like nothing more than a blip, but since beating West Ham, City have registered five consecutive draws in the league and have become the Premier League's equivalent of Switzerland in that they appear unable to commit to anything other than the neutral.

And the draws have all come about in different guises to underline different fallibilities that must surely concern Hughes.

They snatched a scarcely deserved point from Wigan despite being down to ten men, but threw away a two-goal lead against Fulham, looked as impotent as the now-pensionable Pele against Birmingham and contrived to draw 3-3 against Burnley despite recovery from a two-goal deficit to lead 3-2.

The one consistent bright spot for the manager, though, has been Craig Bellamy. His endeavour and sheer will to win is something that Hughes clearly hopes will rub off onto some of the millionaires gracing the pitch at Eastlands.

With Roque Santa Cruz nearing full fitness and Emmanuel Adebayor back in contention, there is again no doubt as to the attacking prowess available to the ever-cheery Hughes, but it is at the other end of the pitch - and in the middle - where his problems lie.

In Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott, he has a centre-back pairing that should prove, as Tina Turner once sang, as solid as a rock. But neither of them are leaders and with Wayne Bridge doing his best to convince Fabio Capello that he should recall Stuart Pearce for the World Cup and Pablo Zabaleta not really cut out for the Premier League, Hughes must be thankful that he prised Given away from Newcastle.

Saturday's game will be billed as the battle for fourth place, but at present neither look like being able to sustain any sort of challenge - although neither do Tottenham or Aston Villa.

If Gerrard's back, it's sure to be a stronger showing from Liverpool, but if they rely on goals from Voronin and Ngog, it could be a long afternoon - even against a defence as leaky as City's. Expect plenty of drama with little end product, with the Kop going home happy after the scruffiest of winners.

Verdict: High drama, little quality - Liverpool to win by one goal.

The rest of this week's matches:

• Birmingham vs Fulham: This game has ‘draw’ written all over it. Let’s just hope for some goals and entertainment as a draw maintains unbeaten run for each side.
• Burnley vs Aston Villa: Home fortress secures another point for Burnley, as Villa remain in the European shake-up.
• Chelsea vs Wolves: There are some Premier League matches which, on paper, look to be home bankers. This is one of them as Chelsea's class and wealth of experience shine through and make the difference.
• Hull vs West Ham: West Ham have failed to register a win on the road whilst Hull’s three wins have all come at home, and with Dean Ashton, Kieron Dyer and Luis Boa Morte out for the long-term, the turbulence down in East London will continue for at least this weekend.
• Man United vs Everton: It will be an intriguing match on Saturday evening with Everton in good form and United struggling for form and goals. However, United are due a performance sooner or later and it could come against Moyes’ hard-working side.
• Sunderland vs Arsenal: In the interests of the league, it is important that the great entertainers of Arsenal keep pace with Chelsea and, while Sunderland will be a stern challenge, we're going to back the away side to take the spoils.
• Bolton vs Blackburn: Not one for the neutrals - nor fans of slick passing - as these teams battle, literally, for a score draw.
• Stoke vs Portsmouth: Poor Pompey pummelled by Potters.
• Tottenham vs Wigan: There should be goals, there should be excitement and I fancy the home team will have a little too much in their arsenal for Wigan to handle.