liverpool vs stoke city [preview]

MATCH PREVIEW

Liverpool look to recover from defeat at Tottenham against a Stoke side that have never won a top-flight match at Anfield.

I think Alonso is going to be a major miss for them - he seemed to run the game when he was playing

Stoke midfielder Dean Whitehead
The Reds were twice held to goalless draws by Stoke last season, stalemates that ultimately proved costly as Rafael Benitez's side finished four points adrift of champions Manchester United.

The draw on Merseyside was a rare away success for the Potters, who collected 35 of their 45 points at the Britannia Stadium.

Set pieces could be crucial at Anfield. Both of Stoke's goals against Burnley on Saturday came from dead-ball deliveries, as did Sebastien Bassong's winner for Spurs against Liverpool.


MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Both matches between these side finished goalless last season.

• Stoke made their first visit to Anfield 115 years ago but the Potters have never won a top-flight match there. Their three wins at Liverpool all came between 1955 and 1959, when the Reds were struggling in Division Two.

Liverpool

• The Reds won 10 and drew one of their final 11 league games last season.

• A win would make Liverpool the first team to reach 5,000 points in the top flight of English football.

• The Reds have been awarded five Premier League penalties in 2009 - more than any other side.

• Liverpool's tally of 77 league goals last season was their best since 1990/91.

Stoke City

• The Potters claimed only 10 points away from home last season, compared to 35 at the Britannia. They did win two of their last four on the road, taking maximum points at West Brom and Hull.

• Last season Stoke had the Premier League's worst disciplinary record, earning 73 yellow cards and five red.

• Rory Delap's long throws directly led to eight league goals for the Potters last season, although Arsenal were the only top four side caught out by the Irishman.