It’s been a particularly trying time for Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers and we feel that if he can ride this storm then he really is bulletproof as far as his position is concerned.
Aston Villa are a team reborn under Tim Sherwood but Liverpool still have too many good players to be marginalised by a side struggling for Premier League survival for much of the season.
Every team loses games but you at least want to see progress in performances and, if anything Liverpool, have regressed over the last year.
We strongly believe that they need to revert to four at the back. 3-5-2 is supposed to be defensively secure but it hasn’t been for Liverpool and also slows them down in attack.
We feel that there is a need for round pegs in round holes for the rest of the season and we would start by playing Emre Can alongside Jordan Henderson in a two in front of the defence. It provides a solid platform from which to build. But these two also love to get forward so it’s the perfect balance.
Also, playing Raheem Sterling up top is ridiculous. For all his qualities, consistency when under pressure in front of goal isn’t one of them and he needs to play on the wing. He can destroy defences from out there and has the freedom to roam. Injures perhaps forced Rodgers’s hand here, but we would play Balotelli before Sterling at centre forward.
Leiva and Sakho are seemingly out of this one but Lallana and Sturridge have a chance to make the side.
With West Brom 8 points above the relegation zone they are in a relatively comfortable position, but a win on home soil against the big boys will get them over the line, so we don’t imagine that they are thinking about their summer holidays just yet.
So here is our strongest XI vs West Brom, fitness permitting. Liverpool fans: let’s have your XIs
