Liverpool - Brighton Preview

Liverpool host Brighton on Sunday afternoon as their assault on a cup double gains momentum.

The Anfield club already face the prospect of lifting a trophy at Wembley later in the month having knocked out this weekends opposition en route to their Carling Cup showdown with Cardiff.

Dalglish will hope his team can repeat their peroformance against Gus Poyet's men as they aim to book their place in the sixth round of the FA Cup.

Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy were on the score sheet at the Amex back in September as Liverpool progressed further in the Carling Cup and the Seagull's will be hoping to provide stiffer opposition this time round.

After last Saturday's Premier league defeat at Manchester United, Liverpool were able to rest key players whilst their fellow rivals had European commitments to attend to.

After making his first start of the year at Old Trafford Luis Suarez will be looking to put his eight match ban well and truly behind him as the Uruguyan is in line for a second consecutive start for the the side.

Liverpool's  fellow Uruguayan Gus Poyet takes his Brighton outfit to Anfield on the back of seven games unbeaten in the Championship and last seasons League 1 winners will be looking for the upset this Sunday.

The South Coaster's beat the Merseysiders in a fourth round replay 21 years ago and will be hoping for good omens as they travel up north with the odds stacked heavily against them.

The heartbreak of 1983 will linger in the minds of many Brighton fans as a last gasp winner helped Manchester United defeat them in the final and it was in the fifth round of that cup run where this weekends fixture was last played in the FA Cup and Liverpool will be hoping they are the ones to progress this time round.

Steven Gerrard and Andy Carroll join Suarez as likely starters in what could see the trio start their first ever game together since January's transfer moves last year.

The only Uruguayan to ever appear in an FA Cup final will be sitting in the away dugout and Suarez, who is yet to feature in this competition, will be hoping to become the second man on that list.

Liverpool vice captain Jamie Carragher will equal Ian Callaghan's club record of 210 cup appearances if he starts at the weekend.

Brighton were disappointing last time out in Tuesday's draw with Milwall and will be hoping for better against a Liverpool side chasing Champions League football next season.

Vicente Rodriguez, who was linked with a move to Anfield in the Benitez-era whilst playing for Valencia, faces a late fitness test for the visitors with fellow winger Will Buckley in line for a return after being missing in midweek.