Liverpool v Bolton Wanderers,
Barclays Premier League,
Friday 26 December, 2008,
Anfield, 3pm Kick-Off
After the Christmas Day festivities have passed, it's back down to the nitty gritty of the Barclays Premier League and a clash with league leaders Liverpool on Boxing Day.
The Whites travel to Anfield aiming to end a six-game losing streak in the top-flight at the home of the Merseysiders, whilst they have not recorded a league win in Liverpool's backyard since 1954.
Liverpool on the other hand are flying and enter the Christmas period sitting on the top of the table for the first time since 1996. The Merseysiders are unbeaten in their last eight outings and have only lost once in 11 games in all competitions.
Liverpool were without manager Rafa Benitez for their visit to the Emirates Stadium last week following an illness, but the Spaniard is expected to return to the dugout on Friday afternoon. Reds' assistant manager Sammy Lee said that his absence was missed, but the team still coped during the 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
He said: "The organisation he has put in place is such that even though he has not been here this week, the battle plan is still there. We know what we have to do, the game plan is there, it is business as usual."
The referee for the afternoon is Staffordshire-based official Alan Wiley. So far this season he has taken command of 17 matches, flashing 49 yellow cards and two reds. The last time he refereed a Bolton match was the 1-0 win away at Hull City at the beginning of November.
Three points for Gary Megson's men could see Bolton reach seventh position should results go their way, whilst a defeat could mean they drop down to 14th.
Team News
Again Gary Megson is faced with the prospect of being without Joey O'Brien and Tamir Cohen, who are both still sidelined with thigh complaints.
The Bolton boss could stick with the same line-up that performed so admirably against Portsmouth at the weekend, meaning Ricardo Gardner might retain his spot on the left-wing.
Liverpool could have Fernando Torres back available after missing the last five games with a hamstring strain. Javier Mascherano is set to return to the fold after missing the 1-1 draw at the Emirates through illness.
Opposing Manager - Rafa Benitez
The Spaniard is now embarking on his fifth season with Liverpool having moved to Anfield in the summer of 2004 taking over from Gerard Houllier.
His first season in charge saw Liverpool lift the European Cup, whilst he also got his hands on the FA Cup the following season making him an instant hero amongst the Anfield faithful.
The Spaniard was born in Madrid in April 1960. His playing days were spent largely in the Spanish lower leagues, though he did enjoy a spell at the mighty Real. However, he never made a senior appearance for his hometown club.
A move into management followed where he enjoyed success with Valladolid, Osasuna, Extremadura, Tenerife and Valencia.
It was at the Mestalla where he fortified his reputation as a world class coach winning two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup during a three-year stint.
It was announced last month that Benitez had begun negotiations for a new contract with club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette.
Opposition Key Player - Steven Gerrard
Liverpool's talisman has been the heart and soul of their midfield for the best part of a decade since making his debut for his hometown club back in 1998.
Originally deployed on either the right side of defence or midfield, the 28-year-old has evolved into one of the best box-to-box players in the world and has now been the captain at Anfield since replacing Sami Hyypia in 2003.
His honours with Liverpool include a pair of FA Cup successes and two Football League Cup wins, as well as the UEFA Cup in 2001 and the UEFA Champions League in 2005, following Liverpool's comeback in the final against AC Milan.
Gerrard has a healthy habit of scoring important goals for Liverpool on a regular basis and in total he has netted on 106 occasions in 460 games for the club. So far this season he has 12 goals, which includes one against Bolton back in the reverse fixture in November at the Reebok.
Betting
To get all the best odds for the game, visit our official betting partner Bet2Go.
Wanderers are best priced at whopping 9/1 to register maximum points with a draw being available at 18/5. Liverpool are 4/11 to come away with three points for the seventh successive year.
Kevin Davies is best priced at 14/1 to net the opening goal of the game, whilst Bolton are 40/1 to come away with a 2-1 win.
Click here for more information and hundreds more of superb odds.
Listen Live
If you can't make it to Anfield on Friday afternoon, you can listen to live uninterrupted commentary on Wanderers World with the club's new official commentator Phil Gittins and summariser Tony Kelly. The broadcast starts at 2.30pm.
