Capital One Cup: Liverpool v Swansea match preview

A look ahead to tonight’s Capital One Cup fixture at Anfield

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers (GETTY IMAGES)

Tonight will of course mark Brendan Rodgers’ first encounter with his former club since leaving for Anfield during the summer. His team go into tonight’s game having only recorded two wins in the past ten games. Similarly woeful, Swansea have only three victories.

Liverpool go in search of a place in the quarter finals of the competition on the back of a 2-2 draw against Merseyside rivals Everton, a game they feel they should’ve won, with Luiz Suarez’s injury time winner wrongly disallowed for offside. Steven Gerrard and Suarez are likely to be rested ahead of Liverpool’s crunch game with Newcastle on Sunday, which may see a return to the starting XI for Jordan Henderson. Joe Allen is also set to make his first appearance against the Swans since departing south Wales.

Nathan Dyer and Danny Graham, who scored the winning goal the last time the two teams met, could both start having only made late sub appearances in Swansea’s 1-0 loss to Manchester City. With the absence of first choice keeper Michel Vorm due to a serious elbow injury, Gerhard Tremmel will make only his second appearance of the season in goal. In only one previous League cup meeting between these two sides, Liverpool came away 2-0 winners.

PAST THREE MEETINGS...

Swansea 1 (Graham) Liverpool 0, Premier League, May 2012

Liverpool 0 Swansea 0, Premier League, November 2011

Liverpool 8 (Barnes x2, Whelan, Rush x3, Beardsley, Nicol) Swansea 0, FA Cup, January 1990

STATS...

Liverpool have failed to score in previous two meetings against Swansea.

In 29 previous meetings, Liverpool have 15 wins and Swansea have 8 (6 draws).

A Swansea win would mean a first appearance in the quarter-finals in their history.

Liverpool has only failed to score in one of their last 46 League Cup games.

CLASSIC MATCH...

Swansea beating Liverpool for the first time in the Premier League. Danny Graham’s 100th career goal proved the winner in last season's match.

ODDS...

Liverpool win – 1.62

Draw – 4.2

Swansea win – 6.4

TV: Highlights at 23:15 on The League Cup Show on BBC One.