Seventh-placed Liverpool face sixth-placed Manchester City at Anfield on Saturday, kick-off at 12:45 hours (GMT). The Premier League fixture is a key clash for the Merseysiders against a club looking to break into the top four, and who are considered by the press in England as one of the Reds rivals for a Champions League berth.

In a midweek press conference Rafa Benitez revealed that Fernando Torres would be unlikely to feature for his team at home to Manchester City: “Fernando Torres is training with the physios, so I don't think he’ll be available.”

The Spaniard, who scored his side’s only goal in Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat at Fulham on Oct 31, was substituted by Rafa Benitez in the 62nd minute. The striker then missed Liverpool's next Premier League outing, a 2-2 draw at home to Birmingham, before starting a special treatment programme on a nagging groin injury.

In his first season on Merseyside Fernando Torres was the game’s only scorer when Man City visited Anfield. The forward found the back of the net in his eighth consecutive home league game to equal a longstanding club record.

Last campaign City dealt Liverpool's title chances a blow as the teams fought out a 1-1 draw. Bellamy opened the scoring early in the second-half before Dirk Kuyt hit an equaliser for the Reds.

In the corresponding fixture the Reds defeated the Sky Blues 3-2 in a memorable game at the City of Manchester Stadium. The visitors came back from two goals down at the break with two second-half goals from Fernando Torres, before Kuyt grabbed the winner in injury-time. The Spaniard’s first goal in that game was the Reds 1,000th in Premier League history.

Manchester City, who have not won since September 28, have drawn their last five Premier League matches. Mark Hughes’ side’s last game ended in a 3-3 draw at home to Burnley. McDonald grabbed a late equaliser for the visitors with a strike three minutes from time.

City’s only defeat of the season came at Old Trafford in the Manchester derby. Michael Owen hit Man U’s winner deep into second-half stoppage-time, as the Red-half of the city beat their neighbours 4-3.

Liverpool go into Saturday’s match 11 points adrift of league leaders Chelsea and one point behind Manchester City, who have a game in hand over the Merseysiders. If results go their way, a victory for the Reds at Anfield could move Liverpool above the Sky Blues and up to fourth.