Mon 24 th August

Two of last season's front-runners meet at Anfield, both looking to get fully back into the groove after losing their opening Barclays Premier League fixture.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 16 meetings with Aston Villa since a 3-1 defeat at Anfield in September 2001. They won last season's corresponding fixture 5-0 with Steven Gerrard scoring a hat-trick.

Liverpool went down 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur but recovered to beat Stoke City 4-0 in midweek while Villa have yet to score this season after going down 2-0 at home to Wigan Athletic and then losing 1-0 at Rapid Vienna in the Europa League.

Liverpool have never lost a match in which Fernando Torres has scored, winning 23 and drawing five.

The Reds have not lost in their last 31 outings at Anfield while Villa have not won in their last six on the road and have won only two of their last 14.