The TGIF Liverpool FC Column | Week 2 | January 2013

So, big week, this week for Liverpool FC. It doesn’t really get that much bigger than the Manchester United and Liverpool FC derby, does it?

The Reds are coming this on a high, with them winning their FA Cup 3rd round tie – albeit in controversial fashion – against lowly Mansfield.

The Match

Very big game. It’s going to be a test to see where we really stand in terms of league positioning at the moment. I reckon that the time given to Brendan Rodgers for his transitional problem has been almost exercised fully by now (or at the very most until end of the January window), and now he really needs to show that his team can perform even in the hardest of places to go on a road trip to.

One person who’ll definitely be up for it will be Luis Suarez. He’ll definitely be fired up to try and get one over Patrice Evra, whom he believes wrongly accused him of racist comments in the fixture last season. You’d, however, think that Rodgers will try and calm the Uruguayan down before the game, trying not to perhaps go into tackles too eagerly.

This game will also likely see the debut of Englishman Daniel Sturridge following his 12 million pound move to the Reds. He scored in mid-week in the FA Cup in his official debut for the Reds in all competitions, and he’ll be hoping to double his tally with a goal against Liverpool’s arch rivals this weekend.

Liverpool have 3 players out injured, whom are Fabio Borini (who has been getting back into training), Jose Enrique and Martin Kelly. Likewise, Manchester United are dealing with three injuries as well, with Wayne Rooney, Nani and Anderson all missing out this game through injury.

It’s a clash of the Premier League’s leading scorers, with Luis Suarez trailing Van Persie by 1 goal (Suarez at 15, RvP at 16) heading into the derby day clash. Both will also have their sights set on the golden boot at this stage of the season.

Transfer Rumours

The transfer rumours have dried up recently, and it seems to me that Brendan Rodgers is relatively happy with the squad he’s got at the moment. Reportedly, negotiations with Thomas Ince show that it is the move that still remains most likely to happen despite the lack of media coverage on it over the past week or two.

And apparently Liverpool are stepping up their chase for Nicolas Isimat-Mirin (yes, it is quite a mouthful). This is, according to The Times, and they claim that Valenciennes are looking for 5 million pounds for their French U21 international. He plays at centerback, and might be the cover that Rodgers is bringing in should he decide to send Coates out on loan.