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Liverpool will be like sh*t off a shovel when the ref blows his whistle for the kick-off on Sunday. Kenny will have seen us start the slow build up in almost every game except for the rags, so he will have his men well and truly motivated for this one, all guns blazing. Get an early goal, give City no time on the ball, defend in numbers with the home crowd baying for blood. Dalglish's lads seem to have taken to his style and are eager to turn it on for him. They are prepared to scrap for every point, realising they are probably fighting for fourth place.

Mancini's plan will be based on his lad's abilities and skill on the ball, especially in attack, and the midfield will be under pressure to hold the ball up and get it forward as much as possible, especially as we need to bounce back from the defeat in Italy. We know we have the firepower, but do we have the same skill in defence? well, on recent showing, not exactly. Vincent looked a bit ragged in Italy especially at set pieces, and didn't seem to have the confidence he usually plays with. Perhaps if Micah and Clichy play alongside him and Lescott we will make a better fist of it.

Maybe drawing comparisons with European matches is unfair, they do seem to have strange effects on players; Yaya was pretty much out of the game, Silva tried hard but wasn't so effective, no player really shone, so I for one would love to see the swashbuckling attacking side make a return and set Anfield on fire as we did the Swamp. More swamp juice, Roberto, please!

---------------------Hart--------------------------
Richards------Kompany----------Lescott------Clichy
--------------------DeJong------------------------
--------Milner---------------------Barry---------
--------------Silva---------------Nasri-----------
-----------------------Balotelli------------------

I think Balotelli should start every game now, Mancini needs to show his full confidence in the lad, show his full value to the club; he needs that status boost. There can be no argument about his goalscoring abilities for sure, whereas Aguero seems to have cooled a little since his big start, look for one or two from him on Sunday, he will be keen as mustard. Mancini probably won't start AJ, which is a shame as he needs game time in my humble. 10 or 15 minutes is no good to him at all and he has all it takes. Yaya's in there of course as is David Silva-heels. James Milner is giving his all for the cause at the moment, we need him against 'pool and we need the quiet industry of Gareth Barry. He is a big player for us, is Gareth.

I'm looking forward to Sunday, I'm looking forward to seeing the team get back to winning ways, it will be hard, all games are. They need only self-belief. The ability is there throughout the squad and for once in our lives there can be no doubt about that.

Clevblue