Liverpool v Derby

BIG-MATCH FACTS
These clubs could be top and bottom of the Premier League table at the full time whistle.

Unbeaten Liverpool are yet to concede a goal from open play this season, and are the only club to have scored first in all their Premier League matches.

Derby, humiliated by Blackpool in the Carling Cup midweek, are the only club without a Premier League win, and are yet to score on their league travels.

The Merseysiders, who qualified for the Champions League group stages with a 4-0 home win over Toulouse on Tuesday night, have made their best start to a league season in five years; failure to win for the Rams would make it their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign.

Derby's only Premier League victory at Anfield was 1-2 on 7 November 1998, when Kevin Harper and Paulo Wanchope were on target.


CLUB FORM
LIVERPOOL


Club stats
Fixtures
1. One of five clubs still holding an unbeaten Premier League record. The others clubs are Arsenal, Blackburn, Chelsea and Newcastle.

2. Won two of their three league fixtures, and three points off the pace.

3. Last picked up seven points out of the first available nine in the 2002-03 season when they went on to finish fifth. They've only bagged 10 points from the first four outings twice; in 1994-95 when finishing fourth, and 1998-99 when ending seventh.

4. Already fourth in the table. It took until 9 December to reach that last year, and 3 December the previous year.

5. Unbeaten in four Premier League games. Won two and drawn two since losing 1-0, away to Fulham on 5 May.

6. One of three clubs to have dropped as few as two Premier League points so far. The others are Arsenal and Chelsea.

7. Drawn the last two home league games, and unbeaten in five at Anfield; won three and drawn two since losing 0-1 to Manchester United on 3 March.

8. The defeat against the Red Devils was their only home league loss last season and their only defeat in 36 Premier League matches at Anfield.

9. Lost two of 46 home league games.

10. Conceded more penalties in Premier League matches this season than any other club, with the exception of Sunderland. Both have had two spot kicks awarded against them.

DERBY COUNTY


Fixtures
1. Lost three of their four Premier League matches, and two points adrift at the foot.

2. Battling to avoid a fourth successive league defeat.

3. Never had less than four points from the first five games of a Premier League season.

4. Completed 171 league games since last losing four on the bounce, on 1 November 2003 (second tier).

5. On their longest losing run in the Premier League since suffering seven in a row near the end of the relegation campaign six seasons ago. That run ended with a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool and 0-1 home loss to Leeds on 27 April 2002.

6. Dropped more points (11) and conceded more league goals (nine, at one every 40 minutes on average) than any other club in the Premier League.

7. Already lost twice on the road (1-0 at Manchester City, and 4-0 at Tottenham). They are one of four clubs yet to pick up a point on their Premier League travels; the other clubs are Bolton, Fulham and Tottenham.

8. They are also one of four clubs yet to score away from home in the Premier League. The others are Aston Villa, Reading and Tottenham.

9. Still hunting a first win in the Premier League since the 1-3 victory over Bolton at the Reebok on 16 March 2002. Drawn two and lost 10 of the 12 subsequent outings at this level.

10. Billy Davies is still one short of 100 victories as a manager in English and Scottish league football.


KEY PLAYER NOTES
LIVERPOOL


No Liverpool player has scored more than one Premier League goal so far this season.

Dirk KUYT and Andriy VORONIN are the clubs' joint top scorers with two each.

If he plays:-

Jose REINA will be keeping goal the day after turning 25.


DERBY COUNTY


Matthew OAKLEY is Derby's top scorer with two Premier League goals.

If he plays:-

Mitchell HANSON will be participating on the eve of his 19th birthday.


HEAD TO HEAD
Liverpool have won exactly twice as many league matches against Derby than they have lost (won 64, lost 32).

The Merseysiders did the double over the Rams when they last locked horns in 2001-02, and are on an unbeaten run of six Premier League matches against them (won five, drawn one).

Derby's victory nine years ago, is their only maximum in 20 league trips to Anfield, spanning 36 years.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Liverpool 64 wins, Derby 32, Draws 28
Prem: Liverpool 8 wins, Derby 3, Draws 1

at Liverpool only
League (inc PL): Liverpool 41 wins, Derby 6, Draws 15
Prem: Liverpool 4 wins, Derby 1, Draws 1


REFEREE
Alan Wiley (Burntwood, Staffordshire)