Blackburn v Liverpool: Premier League prediction

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The New Football Pools Pundits' Predictions:
John Barnes: Away win
Tony Cascarino: Away win
Graham Poll: Away win

Blackburn team news
Blackburn boss Paul Ince is waiting on the fitness of Brett Emerton and Roque Santa Cruz for tomorrow's meeting with Liverpool after they both picked up knocks in the Carling Cup defeat by Manchester United. Zurab Khizanishvili is ruled out with a groin injury, but Chris Samba has recovered from illness and Keith Andrews, who was ineligible for Wednesday's cup match, returns to the squad. Vince Grella (calf), David Dunn (Achilles) and Steven Reid (knee) remained sidelined.

Provisional squad: Robinson, Brown, Simpson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Emerton, Warnock, Mokoena, Olsson, Tugay, Treacy, Pedersen, Roberts, Derbyshire, Villanueva, Santa Cruz, Fowler, McCarthy, Andrews.

Liverpool team news
Liverpool will again be without injured pair Fernando Torres and Fabio Aurelio at Blackburn tomorrow as they try to hang on to the Barclays Premier League leadership. Boss Rafael Benitez insists that Torres, who has been in Spain for a second opinion on his hamstring injury, is not facing a prolonged spell on the sidelines. Benitez said: "The reports from Spain have been good, we are not far from the original timescale for his return, but he will not be rushed back." Torres was aiming for the December 21 trip to Arsenal, but there is still confidence he will play over the Christmas period.

Provisional squad: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Dossena, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Riera, Kuyt, Keane, Cavalieri, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas, Hyypia, Insua, Ngog, El Zhar.

Opta match facts
Rovers have won only one of their last seven competative games and lost four of the last four.

Blackburn have kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 Premier League games at Ewood Park.

The Reds have drawn their last two games 0-0.

Rafa Benítez's side have not conceded a goal for four league matches.

Liverpool have kept seven clean sheets in their last 10 Premier League away games - in the other three they have conceded exactly two goals in each match.

Blackburn have only scored three goals in the last seven meetings with Liverpool.

Robbie Fowler scored the winning goal for Liverpool the last time he played in this fixture in April 2006.

Rovers are the only Premier League side without a single player who has started every match.

No Blackburn player has scored more than two goals in the league this season - the only side not to do so in the league.

Robbie Keane has already been substituted off in 10 of his 13 league matches this season - no Premiership player has been subbed more times than this.

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