Team News: Daniel Sturridge starts for Liverpool

Daniel Sturridge will make his first Premier League start since October for Liverpool's trip to Aston Villa this afternoon.

Philippe Coutinho is also back for the Reds and will feature alongside Sturridge and in-form Roberto Firmino in the attack as the injured Joe Allen and Adam Lallana drop out.

Jurgen Klopp makes one other change to the side that were frustrated by Sunderland at Anfield last time out, as Kolo Toure comes in for Dejan Lovren in the back four.

The substitutes' bench boasts further attacking options for Klopp, with Divock Origi sitting alongside Christian Benteke.

For the hosting Villans, manager Remi Garde names an unchanged XI from the side that claimed a rare Premier League win last weekend, with Gabriel Agbonlahor continuing to lead the line.

Alan Hutton returns from a hamstring injury and takes his place among the substitutes.

Aston Villa: Bunn; Richards, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho; Westwood, Gana; Bacuna, Veretout, Gil; Agbonlahor Subs: Guzan, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, Hutton, Lyden, Davis

Liverpool: Mignolet; Clyne, Toure, Sakho, Moreno; Can, Henderson, Milner; Coutinho, Firmino, Sturridge Subs: Ward, Benteke, Caulker, Origi, Ibe, Stewart, Flanagan

Follow live coverage of the clash in the Midlands with Sports Mole's text commentary here.