Full time, Liverpool 2-0:
Suarez is given space to run down the center, and he takes a shot from above the area — on target, but right at Begovic.
The sides exchange goal kicks, and Fuller holds the ball up down the left, but he has no support. He does win a throw deep, and Delap takes one of his throws.
It is well taken and headed dangerously in the area, but Liverpool clears, and has a throw.
The ball is sent for Suarez, and he beats a defender down the right. He had space in front of him, but he crosses for Shelvey and the ball is cut out.
After the clearance, the whistle blows. 2-0 Liverpool.
90', Liverpool 2-0:
Three minutes of added time.
Liverpool is now constantly raiding the Stoke half. Johnson and Suarez combine for a nice run down the left. The ball is crossed to Kelly in space, but he loses out for a goal kick.
On the next run forward, Kuyt nearly beats Begovic to a backpass.
Stoke comes forward down the left with Delap, but Reina collects the cross.
87', Liverpool 2-0: Stoke tries to come up the left with Fuller, but he can't connect with his support, and Liverpool clears all the way to Begovic.
Begovic's pass is stolen by Gerrard on the right of the area, but his pass across the area is cleared to midfield.
Johnson makes a nice run forward and finds Kuyt in the area. He lays it back to Johnson in space, and it falls th Shelvey thereafter. He gets a shot off from the left of the area, and Begovic makes another great save for a corner.
Off the Shelvey corner, Gerrard nearly volleys it in from the top of the area, but he is just high.
84', Liverpool 2-0: Wilkinson may be credited with an own goal, but it was Suarez's play surely.
Kuyt was the creator of Suarez's goal, getting a touch to a bouncing ball in midfield as he fell to the ground to open things up for the Uruguayan.
At the other end, Walters nearly scored in the frenzy of it all, and Reina had to make a great save to keep the 2-0 scoreline — Stoke's best chance of the game.
81', Liverpool 2-0:
Goal — Suarez — a run past a high defensive line in midfield, followed by a dribble wide of the keeper and a shot nearly cleared off the line.
At midfield, Stoke takes a high line and Suarez makes a run behind everybody. Suarez dribbles wide past Begovic and shoots. Wilkinson runs to keep it off the line, but it is too late. Suarez scores.
78', Liverpool 1-0: Liverpool comes forward on the right, but they are forced to give it back to Reina.
Stoke wins it in midfield, but a longball misses everybody and ends up in Reina's hands.
Suarez wins a tackle on Delap and gets huge applause. On the counter, Kuyt rips a ball into the box towards Suarez.
Thereafter, Lucas finds Shelvey in the corner, but his cross towards Suarez in front of goal isn't great. Still, he almost poached a goal off a poor clearance.
75', Liverpool 1-0:
Shelvey on for Meireles.
Gerrard finds Suarez at the top of the box, and he backheels it to Skrtel very creatively, but Skrtel is cut out just in time.
Stoke wins a foul just across midfield, but the longball is cleared. Shelvey comes on for Meireles.
72', Liverpool 1-0: Pennant again makes a good run down the right, but he is too deep to get a cross into the area.
Suarez gets a little space off a longball, but he is cut out for a throw.
He gets it right back and lays it to Gerrard on the left of the area. Delap very obviously pushes Gerrard down for a free kick.
Gerrard's kick may have been a shot at the far post, but it was too heavy.
Stoke comes forward dangerously, but Liverpool clears and has numbers forward. Suarez finds Meireles, and he sends it wide to Kelly, but Kelly's low ball into the area is cleared for a corner easily. Meireles' corner is cleared easily too.
69', Liverpool 1-0: The teams exchange longballs in the Liverpool half, with Stoke now showing more ambition forward.
The match now has become disjointed after all of the substitutions, but Stoke seems much better off.
Pennant sends a cross in from the right, but Reina takes it.
Suarez is very active tracking back, trying to get on the ball.
66', Liverpool 1-0:
Collins on for Faye (injury).
Fuller on for Wilson
We'll see what shape Liverpool takes now with Suarez on. He appears to be playing down left.
Faye comes up lame with an apparent hamstring injury — it was a collision with Kyrgiakos.
Stoke comes up the right, but the long throw goes for a goal kick.
Tony Pulis has now used all of his substitutions — dangerous considering the likelihood of a red card.
63', Liverpool 1-0:
Delap on for Diao.
Suarez on for Aurelio
Pennant makes a run up the right and finds Carew in space on the right of the area. He gets a shot off towards the far post, but he shoots just wide — not bad.
Suarez has been called to the bench and is getting his warmups off. Anfield gets very loud as he gets ready to come on.
60', Liverpool 1-0: Stoke has a rare spell of possession, but Liverpool gets it back and comes up the center with Aurelio and Meireles.
After a string of midfield passes, Stoke wins it and Pennant finds Carew. Kyrgiakos, though, wins it from him.
Liverpool builds forward slowly again, but they can't find a way through the Stoke defense.
Agger comes forward and finds Kuyt on the left of the area, but Diao defends well, and Stoke clears.
57', Liverpool 1-0:
Johnson — Yellow Card — Jumping into Wilkinson very obviously.
Johnson commits a dumb foul, obviously bombarding into Wilkinson on a longball.
Stoke comes up the right, and Wilkinson takes a long throw which Carew flicks on, but to no end.
Liverpool comes forward, keeping the pressure on in the final third, until Diao finally wins it. The ball is sent for Carew, but he is offside.
Liverpool, though, give it right back after a wayward pass in midfield goes for a Stoke throw on the left.
54', Liverpool 1-0: Carew fouls Kelly in midfield — Stoke is now living up to their brutish reputation somewhat; a red card wouldn't be a surprise.
Gerrard wins a corner up the right, but Carew clears it at the near post.
Pennant, though, loses out to Kelly on his run.
Skrtel finds Kuyt in space near the area. He sends it to Meireles, who gets in another collision with Wilkinson. Meireles is called for the foul — very physical game now.
The free kick is sent back to Reina.
51', Liverpool 1-0:
Carew — Yellow Card — Tackle on Agger from behind.
Liverpool keeps the pedal on as Gerrard makes a run down the right, but he is cut out by Wilkinson.
In midfield, Carew tackles Agger from behind for a clear yellow card — arguably, the advantage should have been given.
Thereafter, Johnson is fouled by Wilkinson, and the advantage is given, which leads to a corner, which Gerrard takes short to no end.
48', Liverpool 1-0:
Goal — Meireles 47' — After a Gerrard free kick, Kyrgiakos lays it to Meireles in the center of the area.
Stoke begins the second half with a longball right off the kickoff — shocker.
Liverpool wins it in their half, and Agger makes a long run forward down the center. He wins a foul off a bad Diao tackle.
Gerrard takes the free kick from the center of the Stoke half, and it deflects into the area. Kyrgiakos gets to it with his feet, and he leaves it for Meireles, who finishes at the near post from the center of the area. Goal! Meireles!
Half Analysis: Stoke has made its intentions clear from the beginning. The Potters are bunkering in and trying to escape Anfield with a 0-0 draw. They've conceded 72% of the possession to Liverpool, but — thanks to Begovic — achieved their goal thus far.
Liverpool has been given all of midfield, with Carew stranded nearly a third of the pitch from the rest of his teammates. Pennant and Wilkinson have had flashes of attacking impetus and creativity, but there has been little worry for Agger, Kyrgiakos and Skrtel — let alone Reina.
Going forward, Liverpool will have to keep doing what they are doing. Kuyt is having his best match of the season playing as the center forward, and Kelly and Johnson are providing width very well from their midfield roles. Down the center, Gerrard, Lucas and Meireles are doing well to command the pitch and create chances — which is simply difficult with so many men behind the ball.
If Liverpool were to have a weak link thus far, it would be Aurelio, but he hasn't been particularly poor either.
To begin the match, the formation seemed to confuse Liverpool as much as it confused Stoke, and the Reds sent a good portion of wayward longballs accordingly, but as the half progressed, the attack became much more fluid, and Stoke was veritably under fire for the final 15 minutes.
As for Suarez, he warmed up in the first half to no end, but it does seem likely that he'll be coming on at some point. That, perhaps, may be the final piece for Liverpool finding the back of the net.
Half, 0-0: Liverpool controls in midfield, and Meireles sends it wide left to Johnson. He lays it back to Meireles, and then Lucas took a shot from range that was blocked and cleared up to Carew.
After exchanges in midfield, Liverpool again is allowed to come forward with space.
Lucas makes a great series of passes and finds Kuyt in the center. He gets a shot off from the top of the area, and Begovic makes another great save low to his right.
Liverpool tries to go forward again, but Kuyt is flagged for offside on a longball. Begovic takes his time on the kick — Stoke want to the half to end.
After each team sends a few longballs, the whistle blows.
42', 0-0: Liverpool again comes forward from midfield, and after a ball sent forward, Huth is shown a yellow card on the edge of the area to the right.
He went in somewhat two-footed on Kelly, but it was Huth's ball. Johnson wanted a red card.
The set piece, though, is cleared partially by Carew. It bounces back into the box dangerously, but Begovic beats Kuyt to it.
39', 0-0: A cross sent in by Kelly goes through the area and nearly goes inside the far post.
Off the goal kick, Meireles gets it to Johnson on the left, but Johnson loses out for a goal kick.
Both Kelly and Johnson have been highly influential in their wide midfield roles.
Liverpool comes forward again, and off a longball, Stoke heads it straight to Gerrard. Gerrard gets it to Meireles in the area, and he in turn gets it to Kuyt at the far post, but Huth prevents Kuyt from getting a shot on target.
The pressure is on now.
36', 0-0: Lucas brings it forward, giving it to Gerrard in the center, but Gerrard's pass is cleared back to Agger. The teams exchange in midfield thereafter.
Higganbotham takes a throw long from the left side, but it is cleared, and Liverpool wins the throw off the clearance.
Luis Suarez is warming up already.
Kuyt lays it wide for Kelly, and he sends a great cross in. Johnson heads it well, and Begovic makes a fantastic save — so close.
33 ', 0-0: Agger is whistled for a foul in a relatively dangerous area in the Liverpool half — to the right near the box.
The set piece is partially cleared, but Stoke keeps pressure on down the right. Walters' cross, though, goes out of play harmlessly.
Gerrard runs forward, looking for Meireles, but he loses out to a tough Huth tackle.
Stoke comes forward down the right, and after winning the ball, Agger loses out. Wilkinson and Pennant are coming into the game somewhat.
Diao gets a shot off from range, but he can't get near the target.
30', 0-0: Gerrard has a chance in the area, on a give and go with Kuyt, and Liverpool wins a corner.
It is headed out, and Stoke ultimately comes forward with Wilkinson.
Liverpool wins it back quickly, and they again come forward with space in midfield.
Gerrard gives it to Aurelio, who sends it for Kuyt. He gets to it, but nobody can get to his layoff.
A Gerrard longball for Lucas is cleared only as far as Aurelio, but the next ball is collected by Begovic.
Liverpool again builds from the back, and Agger kicks a poor ball out right for a Stoke throw.
27', 0-0: Stoke has a push forward, but Wilkinson's long throw is cleared.
Possession is maintained by the Potters, and they build from midfield again. A longball is sent for Carew, but he isn't tall enough.
The teams exchange wayward longballs thereafter, and Stoke has a throw in its own half.
Meireles controls at center, and Kelly comes forward up the right, but his bal is cleared, and Liverpool gets to build from the back.
Stoke has nearly their entire team in their final third, with Carew stranded high. Ony Pennant has really made an impact in midfield.
24', 0-0: Pennant gets a cross in to Carew, but Carew can't get the header on target.
Liverpool comes forward under little pressure, but Meireles loses out in the right corner.
Kelly takes a throw down the right to Kuyt, and he gets it right back. Kuyt sends a cross, but it is cleared all the way to Reina.
Lucas comes forward, again with space in midfield, but Johnson can't collect his pass.
Liverpool again has a chance to build from its own side, and there is again ample space in midfield. A ball intended for Gerrard, though, falls to Begovic.
21', 0-0: The corner is cleared easily, and Stoke has a goal kick.
Liverpool wins a foul in midfield — Kuyt, who is in fact the target man.
The kick is sent into the box, and Kuyt gets to it, but it is cleared before a shot.
Skrtel sends it back up, and it almost falls to Johnson, but Pennant controls it for Stoke.
Liverpool gets a chance to break, and Kelly gets it to Kuyt. He, Kelly and Gerrard combine, but in the end, they run into one another at the top of the area.
18', 0-0: Liverpool builds slowly, but Stoke cuts out the attack, and Liverpool has to start over from their own side.
Gerrard maks a run in the center, but he is forced to lay it back to Lucas, and it ends up all the way back with Reina.
Stoke, thereafter, clears again, and finally the Potters control down the right. Carew, though, is flagged offside.
Agger comes up the left and gives to Gerrard. Liverpool controls in the Stoke half, and Johnson is left with space on the left. He crosses in and wins a corner.
15', 0-0: Gerrard wins it in midfield and sends it wide to Kelly. Kelly's longball forward for Meireles misses, and Begovic gets it.
Carew loses out to Kyrgiakos, and Liverpool comes forward again. They do nothing with the ball, and it goes back to Begovic.
The replay shows that Huth did touch the ball in the box with his hand, but it was inadvertent.
Liverpool controls in midfield, but after bringing up numbers, they lose out to a Stoke throw in midfield.
Stoke controls in midfield, but a longball goes for a Reina goal kick.
12', 0-0: Liverpool loses the ball in midfield, and Stoke wins a foul in the Liverpool half, Lucas on Wilkinson.
The set piece from Pennant is dangerous, but Walters can't keep his shot from the left side down.
Skrtel sends it long to Kuyt, who heads it down for Meireles, but he can't quite get on the end of the ball in space.
Huth looks to have gotten away with a handball The ball somehow falls to Skrtel in space above the Stoke area, but his shot is well wide.
9', 0-0: The teams trade longballs. The replay of the corner shows that Kyrgiakos' header was cleared off the line. Begovic was beaten.
Liverpool comes forward from its own side. Agger comes up and sends a ball long, but it misses everybody.
Agger, perhaps, will be the center back with the most forward freedom, but he'll need to deliver better than that.
Stoke wins a throw in midfield down the right, and Kyrgiakos is forced to concede another deep on the right. Wilkinson takes it long, and it bounces to Whitehead, but Skrtel blocks his shot.
6', 0-0: Johnson is at left back, Kelly at right back, in addition to the three center backs.Aurelio and Lucas are in the center.
Liverpool establish forward, and Aurelio almost picks out Gerrard on a run into the box. He, though, runs into Huth and loses out.
Kuyt finds Gerrard with space off the goal kick, and Gerrard wins a corner.
The corner is well taken, and Kyrgiakos nearly scores. After a partial clearance, Begovic ultimately wins it.
3', 0-0: There appear to be three center backs and two wing backs in the current formation.
Stoke has an early free kick in the Liverpool half, but it is cleared back to center. Stoke, though, maintain pressure down the left, but Liverpool wins a throw deep in their own half, and they come forward.
Lucas and Kuyt nearly connect on a dangerous run, but Begovic collects.
2:55 p.m.: This is Anfield proposes that this will be how Liverpool sets up its unconventional side. A 4-4-1-1, though, is also being floated as a possible setup.
2:45 p.m.: Both squads for the match are rather odd. Stoke has left many of their regulars on the bench, opting to put the recently acquired John Carew up top as a lone striker. Rory Delap is on the bench, meaning the long throws won't be a factor — initially at least.
As for Liverpool, Kelly, Aurelio and Johnson, all of whom are forward-minded defenders, are all named in the lineup, with only one of them presumably in the back four. Three center backs, Agger, Kyrgiakos and Skrtel, are also included.
Kuyt, Gerrard and Meireles will be the attacking trio, with Kuyt perhaps returning to his days in the Eredivisie as a striker.
Who knows how this side is going to set up on the pitch, but Kenny Dalglish has surely thrown a curveball at Tony Pulis — and just about everybody.
Putting Johnson in midfield, perhaps, is an experiment worth undertaking. He has always seemed more naturally suited to play there.
Starting without a true striker, it seems highly likely that one will be brought on at some point — hopefully Suarez.
2:30 p.m.: Suarez has been named in the squad, but he will be on the bench. The starting 11 of Reina-Kyrgiakos-Skrtel-Agger-Johnson-Kelly-Aurelio-Lucas-Gerrard-Meireles-Kuyt is so out of control that it can't possibly last without substitution, though.
9 a.m. ET: Luis Suarez has been cleared to play by the FA, and Kenny Dalglish has named the new no. 7 in his squad just two days after completing his transfer from Ajax.
He will fill the void left by Fernando Torres alone until Andy Carroll returns to fitness.
Perhaps just as significant, however, will be the return of Jamie Carragher to the lineup, greatly fortifying the back line and providing an emotional lift for the club.
Liverpool, though, shouldn't be in need of one. The team has won two consecutive league matches, and Torres, a drain on the side with his negativity, has been replaced with an equally electrifying young talent — one who wants to work hard and be there.
As for Stoke, the Potters sit just two points behind the Reds in the league table — with a game in hand — and they defeated the Reds at the Britannia earlier this season. Still, Stoke is not the same away from home. They are just 3-1-7 in away matches.
With a win, Liverpool can move within two points of sixth-place Sunderland.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET.
Squads are as follows:
Liverpool:
Pepe Reina (25), goalkeeper
Sotirios Kyrgiakos (16), defender
Daniel Agger (5), defender
Martin Skrtel (37), defender
Lucas (21), midfielder
Fabio Aurelio (6), midfielder
Glen Johnson (2), midfielder
Martin Kelly (34), midfielder
Dirk Kuyt (18), forward
Raul Meireles (4), forward
Steven Gerrard (8), forward
Substitutes:
Jamie Carragher (23)
Maxi Rodriguez (17)
Christian Poulsen (28)
David Ngog (24)
Jonjo Shelvey (33)
Peter Gulacsi (42)
Luis Suarez (7)
Stoke City:
Asmir Begovic (1), goalkeeper
Abdoulaye Faye (25), center back
Danny Higginbotham (3), center back
Robert Huth (3), left back
Andy Wilkinson (4), right back
Marc Wilson (12), midfielder
Salif Daio (15), midfielder
Dean Whitehead (18), midfielder
Jonathan Walters (19), midfielder
Jermaine Pennant (16), midfielder
John Carew (22), forward
Substitutes:
Ricardo Fuller (10)
Glenn Whelan (6)
Rory Delap (24)
Thomas Sorensen (29)
Matthew Etherington (26)
Danny Collins (5)
Kenwyne Jones (9)