Taylor aiming to carry fight to Liverpool

light relief: Chris Taylor is all smiles at training yesterday. Picture by DARREN ROBINSON

CHRIS Taylor hopes his Athletic team-mates are as inspired as he is for their big night out.

In among the large travelling band of fans at Anfield will be plenty who personally know the Springhead-boy-made-good, who ranks this as the biggest one-off occasion of his career so far.

Taylor (25) can’t even comprehend what it will be like to walk out and face Liverpool, with all the historical baggage such a famous old club carries with it.

But he is determined Athletic put on a grand show on the large stage.

“I can’t really imagine what it will mean, right now,” said Taylor, who will start in one of the two wide positions.

“But once I get out there, I am sure it will hit me. I can’t put into words what it will mean.

“It is a shame Luis Suarez isn’t playing, but we are still up against some great players and can’t wait to test ourselves against them.

“There is no point going there just to see how long we can hold out for.

“We go there to try to give it our best shot.

“Hopefully, we will be able to compete with them.

“It is definitely the biggest team I have played against and as a one-off game, definitely the highlight of my career.

“The buzz that this game has generated for people is very big.”

Though striker Suarez is serving the second of an eight-game FA ban, Liverpool’s squad is a strong one packed with star names.

Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Andy Carroll and Craig Bellamy are among those set to feature as the Reds embark on a quest to claim silverware they have been without since 2006.

Taylor, who could line up against Spanish left-back José Enrique, admits he has been inundated with ticket requests for the clash.

“As soon as the game was announced, it was crazy the amount of people who wanted to come,” he added.

“I am pleased, while at the same time it is a shame that there were fans in the queues who didn’t get tickets.

“A game of this size doesn’t come along often.”

Athletic manager Paul Dickov, who hoped to tie up loan extensions for Nathan Clarke, Luca Scapuzzi and Tom Adeyemi today in time for the clash, promised to glance towards Athletic’s supporters straight away on exiting the Anfield tunnel before kick-off.

“I will be looking to my left first because it is a fantastic occasion,” Dickov said.

“Not only for the players, myself and all of us here but for the town and the fans — and all the support they have given us.”



Athletic (probable): Cisak; Lee, Mvoto, Diamond, Black; Taylor, Wesolowski, Furman, Taylor; Simpson, Kuqi. Subs (from): Bouzanis, Smith, Morais, Tarkowski, Clarke, Adeyemi, Parker, Mancini, Mellor.



LIVERPOOL manager Kenny Dalglish selects from a very strong squad.

Uruguay international Sebastian Coates is set to start as a centre-back, possibly alongside Jamie Carragher, Gerrard may get a midfield berth from the off and Andy Carroll should begin the game as a striker alongside either Dirk Kuyt or Craig Bellamy.

Liverpool (probable): Reina; Kelly, Carragher, Coates, Enrique; Maxi, Gerrard, Spearing, Downing; Carroll, Kuyt. Subs (from): Doni, Flanagan, Agger, Skrtel, Adam, Shelvey, Henderson, Bellamy.



NEIL Swarbrick, the referee who sent off QPR midfielder Joey Barton in controversial circumstances against Norwich City earlier this week, takes charge of tonight’s game at Anfield (8pm kick-off).

The Preston official’s two assistants are Ceri Richards and Robert Merchant.