Ryan Babel comes into the team with Maxi Rodriguez suspended and Yossi Benayoun injured.

There’s no starting place for Alberto Aquilani, with the inspirational holding midfield combination of Lucas and Mascherano preferred by manager Rafa Benitez.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel, Torres

Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Riera, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, El Zhar, Kelly

The match is live on five (UK).

Sotirios Kyrgiakos returns to centre back alongside Jamie Carragher following his domestic ban.

Lucas and Steven Gerrard continue in the centre of midfield, with Maxi, Benayoun and Kuyt behind Torres.

Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Caldwell, Bramble, Figueroa, Diame, McCarthy, N’Zogbia, Scharner, Rodallega, Moreno.
Subs: Amaya, Thomas, Scotland, Moses, Gomez, Sinclair, Stojkovic.

Liverpool: Reina, Mascherano, Carragher, Krygiakos, Insua, Lucas, Gerrard, Maxi, Kuyt, Benayoun, Torres.
Subs: Cavalieri, Johnson, Aqulani, Agger, Riera, Babel, N’Gog

Kick off: 8pm

TV

Live on ESPN in the UK and USA.
Streams available via our forums.

Johnson has yet to feature in 2010 following a knee injury he suffered against Aston Villa on 29th December.

He has now returned to training, “He trained on Friday. It was a full training session and I think he will be okay to go in the squad for Wigan”, explained Reds boss Rafa Benitez.

With Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun also having recently returned from spells on the sidelines, Benitez is positive the returns of such influential players can push his side on “The players we have coming back now can have an influence on the run-in” he said.

Torres played 25 minutes for Spain in the week and should be fine to start the match at the DW Stadium.

The Reds are though without Martin Skrtel, who has been ruled out for up to 8 weeks with a broken toe, and Daniel Agger faces a late fitness test on bruising he suffered in the win over Blackburn last week.

Sotirios Krygiakos is available after suspension.

Ryan Babel and Maxi Rodriguez come into the team, replacing David Ngog and Albert Riera. Dirk Kuyt is expected to lead the attack with Babel and Maxi on the wings.

Lucas Leiva returns to midfield, as does Emiliano Insua at left back.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Insua, Lucas, Mascherano, Maxi, Gerrard, Babel, Kuyt
Subs: Cavalieri, Torres, Benayoun, Aquilani, Riera, Aurelio, Kelly

Man City: Given, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, De Jong, Barry, Adam Johnson, Adebayor
Subs: Taylor, Richards, Santa Cruz, Sylvinho, Toure, Bellamy, Ibrahim

Kick off at Eastlands is 3pm.

Carragher picked up a knock in last Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates, but passed a fitness test to play at Anfield tonight.

Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger are at the back for the Reds, whilst David Ngog starts up front as the lone striker. Albert Riera is another notable starter.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Aurelio, Kuyt, Aquilani, Mascherano, Riera, Gerrard, Ngog. Subs: Cavalieri, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Lucas, Insua, Degen, Pacheco.

Kick-off at Anfield is 8.05pm.

New boy Maxi Rodriguez replaces Albert Riera to line-up on the left of midfield, with Dirk Kuyt on the right and David Ngog up front.

Jamie Carragher continues at right back.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Insua, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Mascherano, Lucas, Gerrard, Kuyt, Rodriguez, Ngog.
Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Riera, Aurelio, Babel, Degen, Skrtel.

Everton: Howard, Neville, Distin, Heitinga, Baines, Fellaini, Donovan, Osman, Cahill, Pienaar, Saha.
Subs: Nash, Bilyaletdinov, Arteta, Yakubu, Senderos, Anichebe, Coleman.

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Kick off: 12:45pm (UK)
TV: Sky Sports (UK), ESPN2 (USA)

Join in the discussion in the forums

Today’s Other Fixtures:
Bolton v Fulham
Burnley v West Ham
Hull v Man City
Man Utd v Portsmouth
Stoke v Blackburn
Sunderland v Wigan
Tottenham v Aston Villa (5:30pm)

Aquilani replaces Lucas Leiva in midfield, lining up alongside Javier Mascherano and behind Steven Gerrard.

David Ngog is expected to lead the attack, with Dirk Kuyt switching to the right of a 4231 formation. Maxi Rodriguez makes way for NGog after making his full debut against Wolves in midweek.

The back four remains unchanged.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Insua Mascherano, Aquilani, Gerrard, Riera, Kuyt, NGog
Subs: Cavalieri, Agger, Rodriguez, Babel, Lucas, Darby, Pacheco.

Bolton:

Referee:
Kick off: 3pm (UK)

The Reds will go fourth in the league with victory tonight with Maxi Rodriguez coming in for Philipp Degen, who drops to the bench and Gerrard replaces Alberto Aquilani in midfield.

Dirk Kuyt keeps his one-man role up front for the Reds after scoring twice to sink Tottenham at Anfield last Wednesday.

Carragher continues at right back, with the recently impressive Sotirios Kyrgiakos alongside Skrtel in the middle. Maxi will line-up on the right of midfield, with Riera starting on the left again.

Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Berra, Craddock, Ward, Mancienne, Henry, Milijaš, Foley, Doyle, Jarvis.
Subs: Hennessey, Stearman, Jones, Vokes, Iwelumo, Mujangi, Guedioura.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Maxi, Gerrard, Riera, Kuyt.
Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Babel, Ngog, Degen, Darby, Pacheco.

Kick-off at Molineux is 7.45pm and video streams can be found via our forums.

The midfielder looks set to make an early return from a hamstring injury that was expected to see him miss two more games for the Reds.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez confirmed, “He was training on Saturday and then a full training session on Sunday, and today was the same.

“Normally he’s someone who, if available, can play. We’ll decide later but I think he can be available. We’ll decide tomorrow.”

The Reds can move to be just one point behind Spurs with victory over Harry Redknapp’s men, leaving them in a great position to qualify for the Champions League.

However, it’s a fairly defensive line-up again by Rafa Benitez tonight, who has Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Yossi Benayoun, Nabil El Zahr, Daniel Agger, Martin Kelly and Glen Johnson all sidelined by injury.

Riera is joined by Alberto Aquilani, who was rested from the starting line-up against Stoke at the weekend. Ryan Babel returns to the bench for the Reds, whilst new signing Maxi Rodriguez is also amongst the substitutes.

Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch starts up front for Spurs with Robbie Keane on the bench for the visitors.

Liverpool: Reina, Insua, Kygiakos, Skrtel, Carragher, Riera, Lucas, Mascherano, Degen, Aquilani, Kuyt.

Substitutes: Cavalieri, Rodriguez, Babel, Ngog, Spearing, Darby, Pacheco.

Tottenham: Gomes, Bale, King, Dawson, Corluka, Kranjcar, Palacios, Jenas, Modric, Crouch, Defoe.

Substitutes: Alnwick, Hutton, Pavlyuchenko, Keane, Dos Santos, Bassong, Rose.

Kick-off at Anfield is 8pm and it’s live on Sky Sports in the UK. Visit our forums for links to streams of the game.