Insua wants to start winning run

Liverpool defender Emiliano Insua says the club must make a statement of intent against Manchester City.

It will be a crunch week for the Merseysiders who face ambitious City at Anfield on Saturday and then travel to Budapest for their Champions League night of destiny against Debrecen on Tuesday.
The following Sunday sees Liverpool make the short trip across Stanley Park to face neighbours Everton as they bid to re-ignite their stuttering season.

The Reds have already lost five league matches, including three of their last five fixtures. And they needed a controversial penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Birmingham City last time out. And they will exit the Champions League at the group stages if Fiorentina win at home against Lyon next Tuesday.
Now, the Anfield aces must re-discover their strength to hold off the substantial challenge of Manchester City who have aspirations of Champions League football and have their sights set on snatching Liverpool's position in that elite group.

teams fighting

Full-back Insua knows just how important it is for Rafael Benitez's men to show they are not prepared to give up that place without a fight.
He said: "We know we have to start winning games and this is a big game, but it's still too early to be looking at the league table.
"Maybe we can look at it again in February or March and then see where we are.
"We have to start showing what we are capable of. City have signed a lot of top players and they are a good team but we have a good squad as well.
"They want to be in the top four but there are a lot of teams fighting for this, so we have to push hard and start winning games.
"But there is long way to go in the season and a lot of games left in the Premier League for us to put things right, starting with Manchester City."

open game

Liverpool should have midfield dynamo Steven Gerrard fit, along with defenders Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson.
Ace striker Fernando Torres is almost certainly out, but French teenager David Ngog will play despite breaking his nose on Under-21 duty this week.
Insua added: "Maybe we are making some mistakes in defence and conceding goals from set pieces but we have worked hard on this in training and are confident we can put things right.
"City will come to Anfield to try and win and I think it will be a very open game. We have to be strong in defence and we have an advantage because we are playing at home with our fans behind us."