By Tahmid Habib

Arne Slot's reigning champions desperately seek to snap a four-match losing streak as Unai Emery's in-form Villans arrive at Anfield riding high on confidence.

The Reds find themselves in unfamiliar territory, having suffered six defeats in their last seven matches across all competitions. Their 3-0 Carabao Cup exit to Crystal Palace in midweek marked one of Anfield's darkest nights, with Slot receiving heavy criticism for his weakened team selection. Liverpool now face their first five-game league losing streak since 1953 if Villa claim victory, piling enormous pressure on the Dutch manager.

In stark contrast, Aston Villa arrive on Merseyside brimming with confidence. Four consecutive Premier League wins, including an impressive 1-0 triumph over Manchester City last weekend, have propelled Emery's side level on points with their hosts. The Villans know victory would see them leapfrog the champions. While Villa haven't won at Anfield since 2014, three draws in their last five meetings suggest they can trouble a fragile Reds defence that has conceded fourteen goals in nine league matches.

Clinical Reds put 2 past Aston Villa in last season's Anfield fixture

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Liverpool

Ryan Gravenberch returned to training on Thursday after missing three matches with a twisted ankle. Slot will assess whether the Dutch midfielder can start after resuming full training, with his return providing a significant boost to Liverpool's depleted midfield options.

However, Alexander Isak and Curtis Jones are "99.9 per cent" certain to miss out, with Slot confirming their absences at Friday's press conference. This means Hugo Ekitiké will lead the line as Liverpool search for goals. Alisson remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, leaving Giorgi Mamardashvili between the posts. Jeremie Frimpong picked up an injury at Eintracht Frankfurt and joins Giovanni Leoni, Stefan Bajčetić and Jayden Danns in the treatment room. Amara Nallo serves a suspension following his red card.

Slot will revert to his strongest lineup after resting key players midweek, with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai all returning.

Aston Villa

Villa's injury situation is considerably more favourable heading into this encounter. Emiliano Buendía is the headline absentee after being forced off in the first half against Manchester City. The Argentine playmaker was spotted on crutches, though Emery remains optimistic, confirming the injury "is going well" and Buendía should return after the international break.

Long-term absentees Youri Tielemans and Andrés García remain sidelined, while Harvey Elliott is ineligible to face his parent club. Villa's early Carabao Cup exit means they've had a full week to prepare, arriving at Anfield fresh. Expect an unchanged lineup from the side that beat City, with only Buendía's injury forcing a reshuffle in attacking midfield.