With just seven games left until the end of the season, the race for a place in next season’s Champions League has hit the last bend. Liverpool require all three points from Sunderland’s visit to Anfield on Sunday, kick-off at 16:00 hours (BST), to set them up for a sprint finish with Spurs, Man City and Villa for that coveted fourth spot.

Fernando Torres arrives for the weekend fixture in fine form. The forward has scored five goals in his last three outings in all competitions, including the opener away to Man U last weekend in the Red’s 2-1 defeat. His brace at home to Pompey and his strike at Old Trafford took the Spaniard’s goal tally to 16 in 20 appearances, four behind Sunderland’s main marksman Darren Bent who has hit 20 goals in 31 outings.

The Black Cats go into the clash comfortably in mid-table, 11 points above relegation. Liverpool lost away to Sunderland in the corresponding fixture with the hosts grabbing the only goal of the game early on. A shot from Darren Bent took a wicked deflection off a stray beachball that had been thrown onto the pitch by a fan. The deflection took the ball past Reina and into the back of the net.

Torres has struck twice against Sunderland since joining Liverpool. He scored his first goal during the 2007/2008 season at Anfield after being set-up by Peter Crouch. The ‘Kid’ ran onto a flick-on from England striker before finishing with a right-foot shot into the corner.

His second goal was a cracker and sealed all three points for the Reds. On the opening day of the 2008/09 season, a piledriver from Torres from just outside of the area pierced the back of the net with just seven minutes remaining on the clock.

A win on Sunday is a must for Rafa Benitez’s side if they want to keep alive their hopes of finishing in the top four. Currently sitting sixth in the table, the Reds trail fourth-placed Tottenham, who play on Saturday, by four points having played one game more than the Londoners.