Sixth placed Liverpool host relegation-battling Birmingham City in their Premier League encounter at Anfield.

Reina lumps a long ball upfield towards Suarez, who takes the ball down in his stride and makes ground down the left.

It's a real missed opportunity for Birmingham! Cameron Jerome almost gets a shot away inside the Liverpool six yard box as he races in to meet Steve Carr's low cross, and he really should have made contact!

Birmingham stroke the ball around at the pack patiently as they build slowly, but it's very slow going.

GOAL!!!!! MAXI PUTS LIVERPOOL IN FRONT! It's an absolute clanger from Ben Foster, who parries a speculative shot from Spearing straight into the path of the onrushing Maxi, who slots the ball home!

Flanagan makes a bright start from right back with a number of positive moves down the flank.

Birmingham survive an extended stint of pressure from the hosts as Liverpool enjoy a very fine spell of possession.

Lucas picks up the ball very deep for Liverpool, but Maxi completely misses the ball out on the left as he receives it from the midfielder.

Foster slices a clearance straight up in the air following a very awkward back pass from Jiranek, and fortunately for the keeper, Johnson heads clear.

Carroll is sat up in the stands as Suarez and Kuyt harry the Birmingham back four with some eager running in the visitors' half.

The first half is underway at Anfield, and Liverpool get the ball down and stroke it around at the back.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish also makes two changes from the side which lost to Chelsea, with Lee Bowyer and Martin Jiranek replacing Stuart Parnaby and Barry Ferguson.

Teenager Jack Robinson makes his first start for Liverpool as manager Kenny Dalglish makes two changes. The 17-year-old reserve team defender - who became the club's youngest first-team player when he made his debut as a substitute in the final match of last season - impressed in only his second appearance last week at Arsenal.

There has been one result already in the Premier League with Liverpool's rivals and challengers for sixth spot Everton having played Manchester United.

It's prediction time ahead of this afternoon's clash: who do you think will prevail at Anfield? Will Birmingham stay in the Premier League this season, and will Liverpool secure sixth spot? Post your views below...

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has revealed he tried to persuade Andy Carroll to play for Scotland as he prepares to face the Liverpool striker at Anfield. McLeish was aware of Carroll being eligible to play for Scotland via his grandmother being born north of the border.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is still awaiting confirmation of his permanent appointment at Anfield, but midfielder Lucas Leiva is confident it will only be "a matter of time". The Scot has overseen such a remarkable turnaround in fortunes in such a short period there can be little argument against the man rated the club's greatest player being given the job on a long-term basis.

The teams are in at Anfield! Carragher makes the starting line up, but Andy Carroll does not. The referee for this afternoon's clash is Howard Webb.

Liverpool: Reina, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Robinson, Meireles, Spearing, Lucas, Maxi, Kuyt, Suarez. Subs: Gulacsi, Cole, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Poulsen, Shelvey, Coady

Birmingham: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek, Ridgewell, Larsson, Bowyer, Gardner, Fahey, Hleb, Jerome. Subs: Doyle, Phillips, Bentley, Derbyshire, Parnaby, Beausejour, Davies

Luis Suarez has been a revelation since arriving at Anfield in January, and he features in our

TEAM NEWS: Late checks will be made on the fitness of Jamie Carragher and Andy Carroll. Carragher, captaining the side in the absence of Steven Gerrard, was knocked unconscious in a clash of heads with young full-back John Flanagan during Sunday's draw at Arsenal. Carroll jarred a knee against the Gunners and was taken off as a precaution, but left-back Fabio Aurelio is unlikely to feature this weekend after sustaining a thigh problem at the Emirates Stadium.