Liverpool

Despite those in the Reds hierarchy, in particular chairman Tom Werner, claiming the Swansea manager was always their first choice, the way they seemed to publicly chase Roberto Martinez, and also Louis van Gaal , casts some doubts over the claims Rodgers was number one on their shopping list.

But it is Rodgers who all the Liverpool fans will hope ends their long-awaited title drought and end their fall from grace. There is no doubting the history of Liverpool, how great they were in the 1970s and 80s, but this Liverpool is completely different and anyone thinking their new boss can transform them into a side capable of challenging Manchester City and Manchester United straightaway is from another planet (City 11/8, United 2/1 – Premier League Outright Winners 2012/13).

Rodgers leapt to people’s attention when Jose Mourinho head-hunted him to run the Chelsea youth team, then the reserve team, and he took his first senior managerial role at Watford in 2008. The Northern Irishman did well enough to guide them to safety but within eight months his eyes flickered elsewhere and he was off, jumping at the opportunity to take over at Reading (11/10 – Premier League Relegation 2012/13).

It was a shocking time for Rodgers at the Madejski Stadium and he was given the boot before Christmas 2009 after a string of terrible results, and then he spent seven months unemployed. This was a period where he failed to get an interview for a League Two position he had applied for. Ask any Liverpool fan back then if they would ever want this man to manage their side and you would have got laughed off Merseyside.

Finally, Swansea (5/2 – Premier League Relegation 2012/13) took a punt on Rodgers and handed him the lifeline and that started a rise to prominence that resulted in him getting the Anfield hot-seat. It is true that he got Swansea playing great football and they have over-achieved during his time there, but it remains that Rodgers has got a massive job after only one season of managing in the Premier League and the pressures at Liverpool will grossly increase compared to the Liberty Stadium.

There is a lot of work to be done at Liverpool and it would require a miracle if he can get the current crop at Anfield playing the same type of football he won plaudits for in Wales. The likes of Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing have been highly derided and Rodgers will need to make the decision of whether to stick with the struggling troops or kick them out the Anfield exit door.

The Liverpool board are likely to throw money at the problem – like they have always seemed to do in recent years – and there remains the chance Rodgers could go the same way of Roy Hodgson.

If the Reds are struggling down the table come Christmas then the fans are likely to start screaming for the manager’s head again. The hardest thing Rodgers has to do is to calm down the expectations of the Liverpool fans – a top-six finish would be good, top four amazing, but winning the title nigh on impossible.

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Iain Dowie

Former Tottenham man Gardner has been sidelined for two months with an ankle problem and has returned to training this week.

But Dowie believes Wednesday’s big game at the KC Stadium will come too soon and is hoping Gardner may be fit enough to face Sunderland on Saturday.

Victory for the Tigers in their game in hand will see them go level on points with fourth-bottom West Ham and Dowie remains upbeat about the prospects of survival – with Hull 1/5 to be relegated.

The Hull chief stated: “If we win our game in hand, if we put decent points on the board in the next two games we’ll be right in the shake-up.

“We’ve got Wigan to play, that’s a crucial game. There’ll be some twists and turns but we’ve got to make sure we look after our business.”

Hull will also be boosted by the fact that two of their last three games will be at home, against Sunderland and Liverpool, where they have lost just three of their last 13 games.

Meanwhile, the Tigers will make late checks on midfielders Dean Marney (illness) and Bernard Mendy (hamstring), but Caleb Folan is set to miss out because of a hip problem.

Wednesday’s match is also vital to Aston Villa’s hopes of sealing European football for next season, with Martin O’Neill refusing to give up on fourth place.

Villa are currently seventh, six points behind Tottenham – who currently sit in the final Champions League place, who still have a derby with Birmingham, home clash with Euro-rivals Manchester City and away date with Blackburn still to come.

O’Neill is to set to name an unchanged side for the trip to the KC Stadium and they will look to build on an impressive defensive record.

Villa have kept six clean sheets in their last 10 away matches and have not conceded in their last four meetings with Hull, including a 1-0 victory at the KC Stadium last season.

The Midlands outfit are seeking a double over the Tigers, having won 3-0 at Villa Park in December, as they look to extend their impressive run which has seen just one defeat in 14 Premier League games.

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