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Liverpool vs Aston VillaTHE REDsIt is 99 and counting for Rafael Benitez as he prepares to face revitalised Aston Villa. The Liverpool chief will change his side for the 99th time in succession as he attempts to rebuild the Anfield club's Barclays Premiership campaign at Anfield on Saturday.
But the Spaniard admits to growing tired to the constant match-by-match references to his system of managing players. Pointing to other major clubs to support his methods, he said: I suppose it will be another statistic to discuss, but it is not unusual.
It is not just Liverpool, all the big clubs change their side regularly to rest their players. There are other ways to be successful, sure, but this is working. We have won four finals in two years so I'm happy with it.
The Villans are the only unbeaten team after nine league games. Now they face a stiff test against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday but can take heart from having already shared the spoils at Arsenal and Chelsea this season.
O'Neill will check on the fitness of midfielder Gavin McCann, who has missed the last two games with a calf injury, before finalising his line-up to face the Reds.
Liverpool : Reina, Martin, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Warnock, Paletta, Hyypia, Riise, Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Zenden, Sissoko, Xabi Alonso, Pennant, Crouch, Fowler.
Aston Villa : Sorensen, Taylor, Hughes, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Bouma, Agbonlahor, Petrov, Davis, Barry, Angel, Barry, Osbourne, Laursen, Agathe, Sutton, Gardner, Whittingham, Cahill, Djemba-Djemba.