Recently by Andy Hayes

October 2009, Prenton Park, and all eyes were on a reserve match between Liverpool and Sunderland. An unlikely venue for a first sighting of a new star but Liverpool fans were eager to see Alberto Aquilani in a red shirt, kicking a ball. The Press were watching too as Aquilani produced an embarrassed smile at the attention he was receiving at making the bench for the second string. A fifteen minute run out was all the watching public got to see, but every touch, pass and movement was analysed so closely. Opinions needed to be formed, and this was all they had to go off. He was big news.

When Liverpool faced Arsenal on the first Sunday of the season, the inevitable questions of how each team's seasons would go were asked. How would Roy Hodgson do? Will Liverpool fight for Champions League places once again and could Arsenal push on from pretenders to silverware winners?

For the Gunners, their season has gone as the majority probably predicted. Lovely football with impressive results up until around February where the bottle and character that needed to be added to the class and ability already possessed, has once again been found lacking. For Liverpool, their season hasn't been quite so predictable. Although many might have thought the Reds would be in or around sixth position as the campaign draws to a close not many would have foreseen what has happened between then and now.

They say records are there to be broken and in football, you never know when your luck might change. Just ask Jose Mourinho, who last weekend wouldn't have expected Sporting Gijon to be the team to have ended his impeccable home league form record. After 151 games without defeat, in four different leagues facing the likes of Benfica, Manchester United and Milan, Mourinho's home dominance came to a halt against a side just above the relegation zone as the self proclaimed 'Special One' lost his first home league game since 2002.

The same year then, that Liverpool started their perfect record against West Bromwich Albion, their Premier League whipping boys. Perfect because they had won every game. Perfect because they had never conceded a goal. But, just like Mourinho's misery in Madrid, Saturday April 2nd saw both of them particular records end. Of course, The former Chelsea boss's run is a far greater achievement as it lasted over 150 games compared to a run of only nine, but still an impressive sequence of results came to a sorry end at The Hawthorns, after it started so well.

When Roy Hodgson got his first home Premier League victory for Liverpool against West Bromwich Albion back in August, he would have hoped it would have been the first of many three points gained in front of the Anfield faithful. A largely forgettable game, Hodgson would have been glad to get his first win under his belt as much more memorable occasions lay ahead for the League Managers Association manager of the year. Instead, it was the first of only six league victories in front of the Kop and now the former Fulham has the chance to earn himself a rare piece of footballing symmetry.