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Venue: Anfield Date: Saturday, 13 December Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Merseyside 1485 MW and DAB & BBC Radio Humberside; Score updates on BBC Sport website & highlights on Match of the Day; featured game on Final Score
Captain Steven Gerrard, midfielder Xabi Alonso, goalkeeper Jose Reina and forward Dirk Kuyt are all expected to return for league leaders Liverpool.
Fernando Torres is out injured while full-back Fabio Aurelio is back in training but will not be involved.
Striker Marlon King will continue to lead the Hull line despite being arrested earlier this week.
But Andy Dawson and Caleb Folan miss out as they continue to recover from their respective injuries. <!-- E SF -->
In the build-up to the match, manager Rafael Benitez has dismissed as "stupid" reports that he has a defeatist approach to the Anfield club's title chances.
He insists that the Reds, top of the table and unbeaten at home, will have an excellent chance of becoming Premier League champions if they are still top in three weeks.
"We have a clear opportunity to win the title, and now we are top it depends on what we do," he said on Friday. "If we win, then nobody will overtake us.
"Everybody criticises the team at the top. Beforehand it was Manchester United or Chelsea.
"But now it is Liverpool top, and it is our turn. That is why we are being criticised, because we are the leaders.
"Of course we can win the title, but - and this applies to any team who become champions - you must do everything almost perfect.
"If at the end of the Christmas programme we are still top of the table, we will have an 80% option to win the title."
Benitez also revealed on Friday that he hopes recently-nominated World Player of the Year candidate Fernando Torres will be back in action in a fortnight.
The Spanish striker is due for another consultation over his hamstring problem with specialist Ramon Cugat in Barcelona, and expects the all-clear to resume full training soon.
"I have been talking to Fernando today, and he is much better. But how long before he returns, I don't know," said Benitez.
"He is in light training. It could be one or two weeks, but I don't want to put pressure on him."
Hull manager Phil Brown, whose side have already won at Newcastle, Arsenal, Tottenham and West Brom and sit sixth in the table, insists they will not be fazed by their trip to Anfield.
"It is a massive game - they are the best team in the country at the moment without a shadow of a doubt," he said.
"We are a million miles behind Liverpool, but that counts for nothing when the whistle goes.
"We will have a team capable of competing with Liverpool on a level playing field. We could go to Anfield with a fear factor and end up losing the game, but if you go with an away record like we have then we go full of confidence to take them on at their own game.
"I am not going to put 10 or 11 men behind the ball and try to bore them to death. I am going to try to play some football."
<hr> Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Dossena, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas, Alonso, Riera, Kuyt, Keane, Ngog, Cavalieri, Insua, El Zhar.
Hull (from): Myhill, McShane, Turner, Zayatte, Ricketts, Ashbee, Boateng, Marney, Barmby, Geovanni, King, Garcia, Halmosi, Windass, Mendy, Cousin, Giannakopoulos, Hughes, Doyle, Duke.