Brendan Rodgers' team selection at Real Madrid in midweek was the talk of the town. He made seven cuts, with Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and Mario Balotelli all missing out.

Who will make the line-up this afternoon? We'll find out in roughly 10 minutes.

Liverpool XI v Real Madrid (0-1)

Image source, Getty Images

Mignolet; Manquillo, Skrtel, Toure, Moreno: Can, Lucas, Allen; Markovic, Lallana, Borini.

This morning we have been working in tandem with The Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live and asking you: What are the strangest substitutions you've witnessed or been involved in?

George: I got subbed on for a school match after our keeper got injured diving on some acorns. Quality pitch!

Adam Prior, Priority Allstars, High Wycombe: Was manager of a Sunday non-league team and we were playing our greatest rivals. I started as a sub and we're losing 1-0 nil with ten minutes to go. We got a corner and I brought myself on. I somehow managed to bundle the ball and goalkeeper into the net to much jubilation. Then to wind up the opposition I decided to sub myself! To much amusement from my team.

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Image source, Getty Images

It is a Midlands derby with top-of-the-table significance in the Championship at lunchtime, as sixth-placed Wolves travel to face fourth-placed Derby in the 12:15 GMT kick-off.

Wolves suffered their first defeat in six as they went down 2-1 to Ipswich in midweek, but Kenny Jackett's side have adapted well to life back in the Championship as they bid for a second straight promotion.

The Rams got back on track with a win at home to Huddersfield on Tuesday, having lost the last two before that. Steve McClaren's side and can return to the top of the table with a win.

Derby starting XI: Butland, Christie, Keogh, Shotton, Forsyth; Mascarell, Hughes, Hendrick; Russell, Dawkins, Martin.

Wolves starting XI: Ikeme; Doherty, Batth, Ebanks-Landell, Ricketts (c); McDonald, Evans, Henry, Saville, Sako; Clarke.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has been in classic wind-up form in the build-up to the trip to Liverpool.

Having said he would not sign Steven Gerrard on a free transfer, he has also been piling the pressure on the Reds by highlighting the importance of this afternoon's game for Brendan Rodgers's side.

"Liverpool know that, if they lose, they are 15 points behind," said Mourinho. "If they are 15 points behind in November, obviously it's not over but it's difficult. If they win, nine points behind is different to 15. It's a very good motivation for them. So I expect them to try everything to win."

BBC Radio 5 live

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey: "Replacing Luis Suarez - you are looking at probably the third best player in the world. It will be difficult. Brendan Rodgers has brought in players who have not adjusted to the Premier League. It will take them a year to adjust."

This morning we have been working in tandem with The Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live and asking you: What are the strangest substitutions you've witnessed or been involved in?

James Porter:, external Our keeper got subbed off with ten minutes to go after he lay down after conceding his 13th goal. We lost 15-0.

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Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Anfield

Image source, Getty Images

"Grisly day here at Anfield. Cold, wet and floodlights on before noon. The sub-plot to this meeting between Liverpool and Chelsea is the fateful day here last April when Steven Gerrard's slip let Demba Ba in for the goal that played such a role in Liverpool's failure to win the Premier League after a 2-0 defeat.

"Since then these teams have gone in opposite directions, with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho leading his side to the top of table while Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers struggles to rekindle the fires of last season without the goals of departed Luis Suarez and injured Daniel Sturridge."

While League One and League Two sides are in FA Cup action this weekend, it is business as usual for Championship sides.

Kicking off at 12:15 GMT is Derby versus Wolves, fourth versus sixth, and we'll have updates from the game here.

There was one game last night as Bolton beat Wigan 3-1 to climb out of the relegation zone.

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson
BBC Sport

"Because of his team selection against Real Madrid on Tuesday night, this is now the biggest game of Brendan Rodgers' managerial career at Liverpool.

Image source, AP

"You can only think that the team he sent out at the Santiago Bernabeu was picked with a view to this game, and beating Chelsea. I don't see that happening, especially with Daniel Sturridge still unavailable up front.

"Chelsea are the Premier League leaders and title favourites for a reason. In the Champions League they went through the motions against Maribor but, as we know, they are still extremely difficult to beat even when they are not firing on all cylinders."

You can read more of Mark's predictions ahead of this weekend's Premier League matches in his regular BBC Sport column.

This morning we have been working in tandem with The Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live and asking you: What are the strangest substitutions you've witnessed or been involved in?

Swerves007:, external Waving at my girlfriend, she arrived 10 minutes after kick-off, manager thought I was signalling to him to come off!!

Dave B:, external I got subbed off after being stung three times on the chest by a wasp.

Ryan:, external Unregistered player, manager sent me on at half-time, saying: 'Keep a low profile.' 20-minute hat-trick. Hauled off.

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Image source, Channel 4

Chelsea fans, and Manchester City fans, have reason to have a flutter this afternoon. Liverpool fans have reason to get angry.

Running at the 12:40 GMT at Doncaster, just five minutes before kick-off at Anfield, is this nag. Number seven.

Gerrard's Slip...

This morning we are working in tandem with The Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live and asking you: What are the strangest substitutions you've witnessed or been involved in?

Niall Warn:, external Subbed at half-time to go to a job interview. I didn't even get the job.

Mike Peacock:, external Once saw a Metropolitan Police footballer subbed to go on a raid!

Josh Darwall:, external I once saw the opposing team's goalkeeper go home to have his lunch! We won that game 15-0!

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Former Wales international Robbie Savage
BBC Sport

"It is only six months since Steven Gerrard's slip helped Chelsea clinch a famous win on Merseyside that derailed Liverpool's title bid.

Image source, Getty Images

"Back then, at the end of April, the title was in the Reds' grasp. This weekend, I think we will see again how far away they are from mounting another title challenge. They are miles away from the level required for that, and will have to improve and work hard just to get in the top four.

"Part of Liverpool's problem is that they overachieved massively last season, which has raised expectations unrealistically. That is not manager Brendan Rodgers' fault. But he has had money to spend and I do not think he has bought the right strikers to fit his system."

You can read more of Robbie's thoughts on Liverpool in his regular BBC Sport column.

Danny Mills
BBC Radio 5 live

"It [the slip] played a major part in it psychologically. That one moment possibly did cost them the game against Chelsea and may well have cost them the league.

"He went into the World Cup, that did not go particularly well. He decided to retire from international football, was that an admission he is not quite as good as he used to be?

"That was his best-ever chance to win the Premier League, and probably his last chance. He will look at that moment over and over again. Although it was an inadvertent slip, ultimately it probably did cost Liverpool the title."

Image source, Getty Images

Back to the early kick-off in the Premier League, Liverpool versus Chelsea, and Reds boss Brendan Rodgers believes Steven Gerrard has the strength of character to have recovered from his slip against the Blues towards the end of last season.

"He has performed at a level that gets him over disappointments, that allows him to keep going and it is his character that defines him above even his talent," says Rodgers in the Telegraph., external

"He has been remarkable for this club throughout his career here and will continue to be. Steven is a big character and I know from seeing him work every day that he's got over it. He and I haven't had time to dwell on what happened."

This morning we are working in tandem with The Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live and asking you: What are the strangest substitutions you've witnessed or been involved in?

Dan Boden: Got subbed on at half-time as was feeling a bit worse for wear after my engagement party. Scored from the halfway line and got subbed off 10 minutes later after feeling too ill to carry on.

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The FA Cup continues today with 27 first-round ties and you can follow the action via live text commentary from 13:00 GMT this afternoon.

Swift work from Dan Walker to get from Warrington to Weston-Super-Mare through the night. He is on the coast to present Football Focus live today ahead of the Conference South side's game against League One Doncaster.

Check the BBC Sport FA Cup index for match reports, previews, fixtures and features.

This morning we are working in tandem with The Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live and asking you: What are the strangest substitutions you've witnessed or been involved in?

Peter McCafferty:, external I once pretended to be injured to get subbed. I was actually too cold. Was about 11 or 12 at the time.

Chris Deeley:, external Rolling subs... once got subbed on so a mate could go to the loo, then off again when he got back five minutes later!

Brad Hope:, external Subbed off with 20 to go in a league decider, serious case of the 'Gary Linekers'. Changing room toilets will never forgive me.

In a World Cup group match against the Republic of Ireland at Italia 1990, former England striker Lineker endured what he described as "the most horrendous experience of my life"., external

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