Alonso unlikely to make City clash

Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso is almost certain to miss Liverpool’s short trip to face Manchester City tomorrow.

Alonso sustained a knee injury in the final minutes of last weekend’s home victory over Portsmouth and failed to recover in time for the midweek Champions League match with Real Betis.

It was expected he would be fit for the Premier League game at Eastlands but is still complaining of pain and will not be risked.

Luis Garcia (hip) has recovered from his injury against Pompey and will return to the squad as Liverpool attempt to stretch their run of consecutive clean sheets to six.

Harry Kewell, Djibril Cisse and Djimi Traore all come into the reckoning for a place in the starting line-up.

Provisional squad: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Traore, Warnock, Luis Garcia, Hamann, Gerrard, Sissoko, Zenden, Kewell, Cisse, Morientes, Crouch, Sinama-Pongolle, Dudek, Josemi, Potter.