The head coach is hoping his side back up impressive displays in our two matches since the turn of the year, at Liverpool and Arsenal, by collecting three points in our opening home fixture of 2025.
With the Reds desperate to move up from 15th in the table, and the visitors in real need of cutting the eight-point gap to 19th-placed Leicester City, there is a lot of stake this evening.
Diogo Dalot is suspended, following his red card at Arsenal in the Emirates FA Cup third-round triumph at the weekend, so his left wing-back slot is likely to go to Noussair Mazraoui, although Lisandro Martinez could also operate there.