London: Liverpool needs a morale-boosting home win over Sunderland on Saturday to relieve the pressure on manager Roy Hodgson at the end of a depressing week for the 18-time Premier League champions.
After losing to rival Manchester United 3-2 at Old Trafford last weekend, Liverpool went down to an embarrassing League Cup third-round defeat on Wednesday to Northampton, a team struggling near the bottom of England's fourth tier.
Hodgson, who only took over in July, apologized to the club's fans for the midweek performance but is refusing to panic even though the team is fifth from bottom in the league with just five points from five games.
"Wednesday was a really bad result for the club. It has knocked us backwards and has put us in a situation where we are heavily criticized — perhaps rightly so," Hodgson said.
"Everyone predicted the start of the season was going to be difficult looking at our program, players leaving and coming in and discussions about the future of the club. That is how it's proved to be."
Liverpool, which is still looking for new owners, has had a tough schedule so far in the league. The team has already played three of the top four — Arsenal, United and Manchester City — as well as a difficult away match at Birmingham.
The fixtures look much easier on paper over the next month, with home matches to come against Blackpool and Blackburn, and Hodgson knows his side will be under the microscope.
"It's been pretty much a mixed bag but we'll live through the bad moments and over the course of the season, we'll do well," Hodgson said.
The former Fulham manager will make wholesale changes to Wednesday's starting team, which was full of reserves, that flopped so badly. Dirk Kuyt could also make an unexpected return from a shoulder injury.
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, whose team is 11th, is set to play Titus Bramble after the defender was released on bail on Thursday after being arrested a day earlier on suspicion of rape.
League leader Chelsea, which is clear at the top by four points from Arsenal and United, visits Manchester City looking to maintain its 100 per cent record.
The reigning champions have had a benign run of early-season fixtures but should be given its first serious test of the campaign at Eastlands, with City fourth in the table.
England midfielder Frank Lampard is still missing for Chelsea as he recovers from hernia surgery, while Yossi Benayoun (calf) and Salomon Kalou (thigh) are also absent after sustaining injuries in the team 4-3 loss to Newcastle in the League Cup.
City was also upset in the cup, losing 2-1 to West Bromwich Albion, and has injury problems in defense ahead of the Chelsea match. Manager Roberto Mancini said he has just three fully fit defenders available, with right back Micah Richards (hamstring) the latest first-team player to be ruled out.
"I am disappointed we have all these injuries at the moment," Mancini said. "I only have 11 players who are 100 per cent fit."
Mancini acknowledged Carlo Ancelotti's side is a heavy favorite to retain the title. "Chelsea are the best team in the Premier League at the moment," the Italian manager said. "They are probably going to win the Premier League title easily."
Elsewhere on Saturday, second-place Arsenal hosts West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium without injured captain Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), bottom side West Ham is at home to Tottenham, Fulham hosts second-bottom Everton, Wigan travels to Birmingham and Blackburn visits Blackpool.
On Sunday, third-place United is away at Bolton after continuing its free-scoring form against Liverpool and then in the 5-2 win at Scunthorpe in the League Cup.
Dimitar Berbatov, who scored a hat-trick last weekend, is back in the goals after a disappointing first two seasons at Old Trafford but strike partner Wayne Rooney is stuck on just one goal — a penalty — from four league games.
Rooney has been at the center of recent allegations about his private life and manager Alex Ferguson believes the increased media attention has affected the England striker, who scored 34 league goals last season.
"I don't think the boy can turn a corner at the moment without a camera on him. He can't move without the paparazzi being on him," Ferguson told Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport.
"You want to play and enjoy your football without that attention on you because that can be quite exhausting. The siege of the tabloids can wear out anyone." In Sunday's other matches, Wolverhampton hosts Aston Villa and Newcastle is at home to Stoke.
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