BIG-MATCH FACTSLiverpool play their 300th home Premier League match, and are in danger of suffering three successive league defeats for the first time since October 2003.
Portsmouth are chasing a seventh consecutive away league victory, and boast the strongest away record in the Premier League this season. They are the only club to have picked up more points on the road than Liverpool.
Liverpool and Portsmouth have been involved in a total of seven goalless draws in this Premier League season; Portsmouth four, Liverpool, three.
Liverpool were knocked off the top of the table, when Portsmouth held them to a no score stalemate in the reverse fixture in September. Now both sides are vying for a place in the top four.
It's 56 years since Pompey last took away maximum points from Anfield, winning 0-2 in the top-flight on 18 August 1951.
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CLUB FORM
LIVERPOOL
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 4th Lowest could fall: 7th
1. Lost the last two in league and cup. Wednesday's 2-0 capitulation to Chelsea in the Carling Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge was their third loss in four outings.
2. Lost the last two league matches; 3-1, away to Reading, and 0-1, home to Manchester United.
3. Last lost three League games on the bounce between 28 September and 18 October 2003, v Charlton (a), Arsenal (h) and Portsmouth (a).
4. Conceded four goals in two league outings, after keeping clean sheets in the previous four.
5. Fallen behind from the outset three times; only Manchester United have conceded the opening goal in as few as three Premier League matches so far this season.
6. The only club to have scored as many as four penalties in Premier League competition this term.
7. Been shown 20 cards in Premier League competition this season (all yellows); only Everton have fewer (18, 16 yellow and two red).
8. Defeat to Manchester United at Anfield last Sunday, ended an 11-match undefeated home league sequence.
9. Must visit Derby on Boxing Day, and Manchester City four days later, before the home clash with Wigan on 2 January.
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LIVERPOOL
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 4th Lowest could fall: 7th
1. Lost the last two in league and cup. Wednesday's 2-0 capitulation to Chelsea in the Carling Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge was their third loss in four outings.
2. Lost the last two league matches; 3-1, away to Reading, and 0-1, home to Manchester United.
3. Last lost three League games on the bounce between 28 September and 18 October 2003, v Charlton (a), Arsenal (h) and Portsmouth (a).
4. Conceded four goals in two league outings, after keeping clean sheets in the previous four.
5. Fallen behind from the outset three times; only Manchester United have conceded the opening goal in as few as three Premier League matches so far this season.
6. The only club to have scored as many as four penalties in Premier League competition this term.
7. Been shown 20 cards in Premier League competition this season (all yellows); only Everton have fewer (18, 16 yellow and two red).
8. Defeat to Manchester United at Anfield last Sunday, ended an 11-match undefeated home league sequence.
9. Must visit Derby on Boxing Day, and Manchester City four days later, before the home clash with Wigan on 2 January.
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PORTSMOUTH
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 4th Lowest could fall: 8th
1. The 0-1 home defeat to Tottenham last Saturday, ended an 11-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.
2. Failed to score in every other of their last seven league matches.
3. Not beaten a "Big Four" club in five attempts, since the 2-1 home triumph over Liverpool on 28 April.
4. The next defeat will be their 50th in the Premier League under Harry Redknapp, and their 500th in top-flight football.
5. One draw short of 900 in league football.
6. On the joint longest run, with Birmingham, of 15 games since a Premier League score draw; the most recent being 1-1, home to Manchester United on 15 August.
7. Picked up eight more points on the road than at home; the widest such disparity in the Premier League.
8. The only club to have won every Premier League game in which they've scored first this season; seven of seven.
9. Gained 19 points away from home, one more than Liverpool, and hoping to add the scalp of the Reds to those of Blackburn, Fulham, Wigan, Newcastle, Birmingham and Aston Villa, gained in the last six on the road.
10. A home clash with Arsenal follows on Boxing Day, then another against Middlesbrough three days later, before visiting Reading on New Year's Day.
KEY PLAYER NOTES
LIVERPOOL
Fernando TORRES is Liverpool's top scorer with 12 goals.
TORRES and Steven GERRARD are the clubs' joint top Premier League marksmen with six goals each.
GERRARD has scored 10 goals in 12 appearances for Liverpool (all competitions).
Goalkeeper Jose REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Liverpool's Premier League matches this season.
REINA leads the race for the Barclays Golden Glove, keeping nine clean sheets.
Suspended:-
Peter CROUCH (three matches)
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Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 4th Lowest could fall: 8th
1. The 0-1 home defeat to Tottenham last Saturday, ended an 11-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.
2. Failed to score in every other of their last seven league matches.
3. Not beaten a "Big Four" club in five attempts, since the 2-1 home triumph over Liverpool on 28 April.
4. The next defeat will be their 50th in the Premier League under Harry Redknapp, and their 500th in top-flight football.
5. One draw short of 900 in league football.
6. On the joint longest run, with Birmingham, of 15 games since a Premier League score draw; the most recent being 1-1, home to Manchester United on 15 August.
7. Picked up eight more points on the road than at home; the widest such disparity in the Premier League.
8. The only club to have won every Premier League game in which they've scored first this season; seven of seven.
9. Gained 19 points away from home, one more than Liverpool, and hoping to add the scalp of the Reds to those of Blackburn, Fulham, Wigan, Newcastle, Birmingham and Aston Villa, gained in the last six on the road.
10. A home clash with Arsenal follows on Boxing Day, then another against Middlesbrough three days later, before visiting Reading on New Year's Day.
KEY PLAYER NOTES
LIVERPOOL
Fernando TORRES is Liverpool's top scorer with 12 goals.
TORRES and Steven GERRARD are the clubs' joint top Premier League marksmen with six goals each.
GERRARD has scored 10 goals in 12 appearances for Liverpool (all competitions).
Goalkeeper Jose REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Liverpool's Premier League matches this season.
REINA leads the race for the Barclays Golden Glove, keeping nine clean sheets.
Suspended:-
Peter CROUCH (three matches)
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PORTSMOUTH
BENJANI MWARUWARI is Portsmouth's top scorer with eight Premier League goals. However, he has not scored in seven weeks since netting the second in the 1-4 away win over Newcastle on 3 November.
Sylvain DISTIN is the only outfield player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Portsmouth's Premier League games this season.
David JAMES has kept goal for every minute of every one of Pompey's league matches this term.
If selected:-
JAMES will be making his 149th consecutive Premier League appearance (Manchester City and Portsmouth).
JAMES will be facing a former club. The 37 year old England keeper made 277 appearances for Liverpool (214 in the Premier League) between July 1992 and June 1999, when transferred to Aston Villa for £1.8m.
Djimi TRAORE will also be facing former club mates. The Mali international defender made 141 appearances (88 in the Premier League) and scored one goal for the Merseysiders between February 1999 and his £2m move to Charlton in August 2006.
Sol CAMPBELL will be making his 50th appearance in a Portsmouth shirt.
Hermann HREIDARSSON will be making his 350th career league appearance (Crystal Palace, Brentford, Wimbledon, Ipswich, Charlton and Portsmouth).
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BENJANI MWARUWARI is Portsmouth's top scorer with eight Premier League goals. However, he has not scored in seven weeks since netting the second in the 1-4 away win over Newcastle on 3 November.
Sylvain DISTIN is the only outfield player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Portsmouth's Premier League games this season.
David JAMES has kept goal for every minute of every one of Pompey's league matches this term.
If selected:-
JAMES will be making his 149th consecutive Premier League appearance (Manchester City and Portsmouth).
JAMES will be facing a former club. The 37 year old England keeper made 277 appearances for Liverpool (214 in the Premier League) between July 1992 and June 1999, when transferred to Aston Villa for £1.8m.
Djimi TRAORE will also be facing former club mates. The Mali international defender made 141 appearances (88 in the Premier League) and scored one goal for the Merseysiders between February 1999 and his £2m move to Charlton in August 2006.
Sol CAMPBELL will be making his 50th appearance in a Portsmouth shirt.
Hermann HREIDARSSON will be making his 350th career league appearance (Crystal Palace, Brentford, Wimbledon, Ipswich, Charlton and Portsmouth).
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HEAD TO HEAD
Liverpool have an unbeaten home Premier League record against Portsmouth of two wins and two draws, with clean sheets in three of the four games.
Two of the last three meetings between Liverpool and Portsmouth were goalless.
Liverpool have an unbeaten home Premier League record against Portsmouth of two wins and two draws, with clean sheets in three of the four games.
Two of the last three meetings between Liverpool and Portsmouth were goalless.
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Home and awayLeague (inc PL): Liverpool 21 wins, Portsmouth 19, Draws 15Prem: Liverpool 4 wins, Portsmouth 2, Draws 3
at Liverpool onlyLeague (inc PL): Liverpool 13 wins, Portsmouth 4, Draws 10Prem: Liverpool 2 wins, Portsmouth 0, Draws 2
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Home and awayLeague (inc PL): Liverpool 21 wins, Portsmouth 19, Draws 15Prem: Liverpool 4 wins, Portsmouth 2, Draws 3
at Liverpool onlyLeague (inc PL): Liverpool 13 wins, Portsmouth 4, Draws 10Prem: Liverpool 2 wins, Portsmouth 0, Draws 2
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LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Liverpool 0-0 Portsmouth
Liverpool 0-0 Portsmouth
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