Premier League Preview: Liverpool v Aston Villa

High-flyers Liverpool welcome Aston Villa on Saturday aiming to build on a seven-match winning run in home Premier League matches.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have been dominant at Anfield this season, recording 10 victories from 11 matches played on home soil in all competitions.

The Merseysiders host a Villa team that have claimed just one win in their last seven league outings.

Liverpool’s resolute defence has formed a key part of their excellent home form, and no top-flight side can better their record of six goals conceded in league games in their own back yard.

But Villa have a solid record at Anfield in recent times, with just one loss in their last four visits, and claimed a 3-1 success on their last trip to Liverpool in December 2012.

One of the visitors’ biggest challenges comes in the form of the Premier League’s leading goalscorer, Luis Suarez, with the Uruguayan bagging 22 goals in 16 top-flight appearances thus far, 12 more than he registered in as many matches last season.

By contrast one of Villa’s main attacking threats, Christian Benteke, has struggled to build on an impressive first season in English football, scoring just five times in the Premier League this term.

But the Belgium international will take heart from grabbing the consolation goal in Monday’s 2-1 defeat to league leaders Arsenal, a strike that ended a scoreless run of 11 top-flight matches for the 23-year-old.

Paul Lambert’s charges occupy 11th position and will be buoyed by the fact that four of their six league wins have come away from home this campaign.

The hosts welcome back midfielder Joe Allen from an abductor problem, with centre-back Mamadou Sakho also in contention following a hamstring issue. Full-backs Jon Flanagan (hamstring) and Jose Enrique (knee) remain sidelined, as do centre-backs Daniel Agger (calf) and Sebastian Coates (knee).

Villa could hand a debut to striker Grant Holt after he completed his loan signing from Wigan Athletic on Tuesday, but centre-back Nathan Baker is absent after sustaining a concussion against Arsenal.