Liverpool will be looking to bounce back in the Premier League at home to Birmingham on Monday, kick-off at 20:00 hours (GMT). A defeat away to Fulham last weekend saw the Reds slip out of the top six, however all three points from the visit of Birmingham could move Liverpool level with Aston Villa who are fifth on 21 points, 4 points behind second-placed Arsenal, who have a game in-hand, and nine adrift of leaders Chelsea.

Red boss Rafa Benitez is hopeful that the Anfield number ‘9’ will be fit for the last Premier League fixture before the international break. “With Fernando we know he has to keep working with the physios and we will see how he progresses. We will see how is he is because he still has some pain so we will decide if he can play on Monday.”

The Premier top scorer, who has proved vital to the Merseysiders this season, grabbed his tenth of the season at Craven Cottage in the Red’s last league outing. The Spaniard equalised with a fierce drive from outside the box, but Liverpool were reduced to nine-men as Fulham scored twice to win 3-1.

The Monday meeting will be Fernando Torres’ second appearance against Birmingham. In his first game verses the Blues in September 2007, the forward played for half an hour, coming on as a second-half substitute. In a game that ended scoreless, the Spaniard almost grabbed all three points for the Reds with an acrobatic volley that grazed the crossbar.

Rafa Benitez will definitely be without the suspended Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher, who were both red-carded at Fulham. The Liverpool boss also has several injury wories ahead of the visit of Birmingham. The Blues will be without Barry Ferguson who is suspended for the clash at Anfield. Alex McCleish could also be without Garry O'Connor and Keith Fahey as they look to take home something positive from their trip North.

Although City have lost four of their five away games, Liverpool have not beaten Birmingham in their last six league meetings, drawing four games and losing twice. The last encounter between the two ended 2-2. Forssell and Larsson gave the home side a 2-0 lead but goals from Crouch and Benayoun earned Liverpool a share of the spoils.

Alex McLeish’s side arrive for the fixture at Anfield on the back of a 0-0 draw at home to Manchester City. Birmingham could have taken all three points but for Shay Given’s second-half penalty save. The draw moved the Midlanders up to 15th, one point above the relegation zone.