A post-match chat between Rafa Benitez and Owen Coyle would prove interesting listening after Liverpool host Bolton on Saturday. A sympathetic ear all round.
Reds manager Benitez has been heavily criticised when enduring a season to forget and is now grabbing the headlines as speculation suggests that Juventus want him to replace their own under-fire boss Ciro Ferrara.
Coyle, meanwhile, has seen his loyalty battered from pillar to post in the wake of Tuesday’s Reebok Stadium win over Burnley, the club he quit to take over the Trotters, where he was labelled ‘Judas’ by fans who used to sing his name.
The thought of Benitez and Coyle acting as agony aunts to one another if they meet inside Anfield to observe the tradition in English football for managers to share a drink after battle has subsided warms the cockles but there are more important issues.
In reality the pair are unlikely to console as Liverpool are chasing a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League, while Bolton are far from out of the woods in the battle to avoid Premier League relegation.
Benitez’s fifth-placed side have turned a slight corner after going five games unbeaten in the league, keeping four clean sheets in the process, but Tuesday’s stalemate at Wolves demonstrated old problems remain and lost ground on Tottenham.
Coyle’s Bolton climbed away from the relegation zone at the expense of Burnley, however, they are still just one point from the danger area and, with a last league win at Anfield coming in 1954, confidence will not be sky high.
The bonus for Liverpool at Wolves was the early return of captain Steven Gerrard following a hamstring problem. He did not suffer any reaction and looks certain to start.
But Fernando Torres (knee) and Yossi Benayoun (rib) will again be sidelined through injury, while Glen Johnson is still recovering from a knee ligament problem.
Coyle could be tempted to name an unchanged side from that which defeated Burnley in midweek.
On-loan Manchester City winger Vladimir Weiss may have to settle for a place on the bench while another new recruit Stuart Holden has a slight thigh strain.
Midfielder Mark Davies remains absent with the ankle injury he sustained from the controversial challenge of Arsenal’s William Gallas.
Possible starting XIs
Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Lucas, Mascherano, Maxi, Gerrard, Riera, Kuyt.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Samuel, Lee, Ricketts, Muamba, Cohen, Davies, Klasnic.
Source: SkySports