Stoke vs Liverpool preview: Mamadou Sakho must contain Bojan, Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Arnautovic

A look ahead to the Capital One Cup, semi-final first leg at the Britannia Stadium

Mamadou Sakho (GETTY IMAGES)

It’s a big game for…

Mamadou Sakho: Sakho came under scrutiny in the 2-0 defeat to West Ham on Saturday, and in the absence of Martin Skrtel, the Reds will need a big performance from the French international to combat Stoke’s attacking threat of Bojan, Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Arnautovic.

Weird/best stat…

5 – Liverpool are unbeaten in five matches against the Potters in the League Cup, including an 0-8 victory at the Britannia Stadium in November 2000, a rout that included a Robbie Fowler hat-trick.

Remember when…

Luis Suarez scored twice at the Britannia in the last League Cup meeting between the sides in October 2011?

Player to watch…

Marko Arnautovic: The Austrian winger loves the big occasion and is enjoying the best form of his career, with seven goals and three assists to his name already this season. He was also instrumental in his last appearance vs the Reds – a 6-1 hammering on the final day of last season.

Past three-meetings…

Stoke 0 Liverpool 1 (Coutinho), Premier League, August 2015

Stoke 6 (Diouf x 2, Walters, Adam, Crouch, N'Zonzi) Liverpool 1 (Gerrard), Premier League, May 2015

Liverpool 1 (Johnson) Stoke 0, Premier League, November 2014

Form guide (all competitions)…

Stoke City: D L W W L

Liverpool: D L W W L

Vital information…

KICK-OFF TIME: 8.00pm, Tuesday 5th January

TV: Live Sky Sports 1, 7.30pm