Opportunity

Next on the fixture list for Liverpool this year is Portsmouth, with new manager Avram Grant, Pompey do appear to be on the up albeit slightly, still Liverpool must look at this as a fantastic opportunity to finally go on some sort of a winning run. With Wolves next up at Anfield this is a brilliant chance for the lads to gain some ground.

Liverpool are still without the options of Martin Kelly, Nabil El Zhar and Ryan Babel. However Albert Riera and Glen Johnson will both be subject to late fitness tests. Hopefully this will come good and will provide greater choice for Benitez on Saturday.

Portsmouth's recent form does not make excellent reading but when you take into consideration that within these 5 fixtures they have played Chelsea, Villa and Manchester United, it doesn't seem so bad - LLWDL. Althoguh they lost to Chelsea on Wednesday, in all fairness they had alot of the ball and alot of the attack, they could have won it if it wasn't for a bad tackle on Ivanovic which resulted in a Chelsea penalty. So they are clearly still a team to be aware of despite their current position in the league.

Stat Sandwich:

• A victory will give Liverpool a total of 400 points collected under Rafael Benitez.
• Avram Grant is unbeaten as a manager in England against Benitez he has two wins and two draws to his name.
• No Liverpool player has ever scored a hat-trick at Fratton Park.

I think again we will probably concede at some point, the defence still isn't up to scratch and i think it's going to take more than 3 days after Wednesday's performance for them to begin being solid again, however i can also see this being a 3-1,4-1 sort of game. Saying that i'm usually miles off score predictions so i wouldn't take my advice if your having a punt this weekend!

Nevertheless, this is a must win, another three points would do us the world of good.