Image source, Getty Images

Impressive early season victories over champions Chelsea and title-chasing Manchester City have been forgotten.

Liverpool lie in 11th place, a huge 12 points adrift of the coveted Champions League places.

The Reds have won only one of their last six league games and conceded 14 goals in that period.

Is boss Jurgen Klopp's gegenpressing style of play too much for his players to get their heads - and legs - around or is the season a write off and looking ahead to the next?

Just three wins in the league all season, Aston Villa are facing up to the prospect of Championship football next term, it's been a thoroughly depressing campaign for the Midlands side.

Results have picked up a little over the last few games though, with just one defeat in five.

Yet it still leaves them eight points away from safety. With 13 games left to go, it's going to need an escape of Leicester-style proportions to stay up. Big ask.

Why change a winning side? Aston Villa go with the same side that beat Norwich last time out

Villa XI: Bunn, Richards, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho, Bacuna, Gueye, Westwood, Gil, Veretout, Agbonlahor

Liverpool make three changes to the side that drew 2-2 against Sunderland, with Kolo Toure, Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge coming in for Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana and Joe Allen.

Liverpool XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure, Sakho, Moreno, Can, Henderson, Milner, Coutinho, Firmino, Sturridge

And it's significant news for Liverpool as injury prone striker Daniel Sturridge starts for the first time since October.

Full team news to follow.

Image source, Getty Images

With just one win in their last 17 games against Liverpool at home, will bottom side Aston Villa find some loving at Villa Park today or will their miserable season continue?