Aston Villa vs. Liverpool: Preview and TV schedule

Aston Villa are still only a place above the relegation zone, though have built up a three point buffer after seeing off Reading and QPR in their two key clashes at the bottom. Hopefully -- unlike when Villa cruised past Liverpool at Anfield earlier in the season -- this won't prove to be another false dawn.

Villa have a couple of doubts ahead of this game, in Ciaran Clark and Brett Holman. They could be added to the list of those also sidelined, comprising of Chris Herd, Marc Albrighton, Richard Dunne and Gary Gardner, as the Villains look to win three league games consecutively for the first time since 2010, when they saw off a trio teams who are no longer in the top flight -- Portsmouth, Hull and rivals Birmingham.

As for Liverpool -- who haven't won away at Villa Park since 2009 when Fernando Torres bagged a last minute winner (who else?) -- their run of three consecutive wins in the league came to an abrupt end as they were beaten 3-1 away at strugglers Southampton in the last match, leaving them seventh in the table, three points behind Merseyside rivals Everton, and five off Arsenal in the Europa League spot.

On the league table alone, it should be a fairly routine win for Liverpool -- especially when considering they only have Joe Allen, Fabio Borini and Martin Kelly out with injury -- though given both of these sides' erratic and inconsistent performances this season added to a recent upturn in form for Villa, a shock wouldn't be so shocking.

Out: Joe Allen (shoulder), Fabio Borini (shoulder), Martin Kelly (knee)