Birmingham v Liverpool preview

Benitez set to show faith in squad

By Peter Fraser   Last updated: 25th April 2008

Football Premier League Liverpool Rafa Benitez

Benitez: Ringing the changes

PREDICTIONS:

Skysports.com prediction: 1-1

SKY BET odds: Birmingham 13/8, Draw 11/5, Liverpool 11/8

One to Watch: Olivier Kapo

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Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is set to demonstrate an unwavering faith in the depth of his squad against relegation-threatened Birmingham in the Premier League this weekend.

Benitez will have been smugly sat in his armchair last Saturday evening after his rotated Reds produced a job well done against struggling Fulham to quash previous suggestions from under-pressure top-flight bosses that a less than full-strength side would struggle at Craven Cottage.

However, Benitez - who was planning for Tuesday's first-leg UEFA Champions League semi-final visit of Chelsea - was brought crashing down to earth when the Blues finally came calling as the Spaniard was reminded that fringe players are handed that tag for a reason, as substitute John Arne Riise headed into his own net in injury-time to leave European progression looking precarious.

Back on matters domestic and in the knowledge that one point would assure fourth place, Benitez is again set to ring the changes at St Andrews as Liverpool prepare for next week's return European meeting with Chelsea.

No Complaints

Birmingham, though, will not be complaining as their place in England's pinnacle league looks even more uncertain than their visitors' plans for booking flights to Moscow on 21st May.

Alex McLeish's outfit occupy the final relegation spot and the Scottish manager will also be faced with the task of buoying his players following last weekend's Second City 5-1 humiliation at the hands of Aston Villa.

McLeish, though, will know that Birmingham are only a solitary point from safety and have lost just one home game in four Premier League meetings with Liverpool, to suggest the Midlanders could be forgiven for feeling quietly confident ahead of Saturday.

Birmingham could welcome back midfielder Sebastian Larsson following the Swedish international's recovery from a tweaked a medial ligament.

Ring the changes

Olivier Kapo is also pressing for a place in the starting line-up after impressing as a substitute against Villa following two months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

But skipper Damien Johnson will again be unavailable as he completes a three-match suspension for his sending-off at Wigan.

Benitez is never shy of naming a changed line up and with excuses-a-plenty it is unlikely he will resist, as star striker Fernando Torres, captain Steven Gerrard and defender Jamie Carragher are likely candidates to be rested, while full-back Fabio Aurelio has been ruled out for the season with a damaged abductor muscle.

That could see youngsters Damien Plessis and Emiliano Insua step in, while Riise will be hoping for a swift opportunity to right his wrong.