Suarez: Set for FA Cup debut

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Liverpool v Brighton

Liverpool will name a strong line-up against old rivals Brighton as they aim to keep their hopes of achieving a cup double alive on Sunday.

Brighton travel to Merseyside on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run in the Championship, leaving last season’s League One champions sitting pretty in ninth place.

Their last FA Cup clash with the English giants was 21 years ago in a clash which ended in victory after they dumped the Reds out of the prestigious cup in a fourth-round South Coast replay.

Brighton will also be boosted by the knowledge that they came out tops when the side’s last met in the fifth round in Liverpool, before going on to the final in 1983, when they lost to Manchester United.

Kenny Dalglish already has one eye on the Carling Cup final with Cardiff on 26th February, but progress in the FA Cup remains vital to the Scot’s dreams of success this season.

The Premier League club last won the trophy in 2006, but are obvious favourites to overcome Gus Poyet’s Brighton after handing defeats to both the Manchester club’s en route to the fifth round tie.

However, the Championship play-off contenders will be hungry for revenge after Liverpool beat them 2-1 in the Carling Cup at the Amex in September.

Liverpool will be fresh after last Saturday’s Premier League defeat at Old Trafford and with no fixture congestion to contend with, Dalglish will look to name a strong starting line-up.

Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Andy Carroll are all set for starts as Suarez and Glen Johnson look to make their FA Cup debuts for the club.

Stalwart Jamie Carragher could equal Ian Callaghan’s club record of 210 cup games for the Reds if the defender makes it on to the field on Sunday.

Despite their good form this season, Brighton were not at their best on Tuesday as Millwall managed a stalemate which left Poyet demanding more form his side.

Winger Will Buckley is back after missing out in midweek, while Vicente Rodriguez faces a late fitness test.

Poyet will also be without Gary Dicker and Tommy Elphick, who are both injured while Matt Sparrow sits out the last game of a three-match suspension.